MILES LARMER, the newly appointed director of the Center for African Studies and professor of history, has wasted no time in making an impact. His arrival this academic year coincides with the center’s 60-year milestone, signaling a fresh start. With a distinguished career at the University of Oxford and extensive research on the modern history of southern and central Africa, Larmer is recognized as a leading authority in the field.
“I’m constantly delighted — and only occasionally intimidated — by the responsibility of guiding one of America’s most important centers of excellence in African studies into an exciting but always uncertain future,” Larmer said.
With a focus on interdisciplinary research and academic collaboration, Larmer has made it his mission to elevate the study of Africa within and beyond the university community. He envisions the center as a platform for critical conversations, exploring Africa’s past, present, and future.
“Key issues, themes, and priorities will come and go,” Larmer said. “What remains true is that the best way to address our challenges and problems is to meet, talk, and listen together to diverse voices and perspectives.”
To achieve this, Larmer aims to unify the center’s 125 affiliated teaching and research faculty. Innovation, according to Larmer, necessitates embracing the newest generation of African Studies scholars who challenge conventional ideas and expand the boundaries of knowledge. He emphasizes the center’s role as a hub for innovative knowledge production, connecting academics within and beyond the continent.
“We have world-leading experts here,” Larmer said. “The center, along with the university’s Africa-related programs, is delivering cutting-edge research that positively impacts the lives and livelihoods of millions of African people.