From Algiers to Timbuktu: Multi-Local Research in Colonial History Across the Saharan Divide

Research reveals that the 'Saharan Divide,' a long-standing conceptual barrier separating sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa, persists prominently in colonial-era scholarship despite its extensive historiography. This study introduces a 'multi-local' research approach, challenging traditional Area Studies divisions by integrating archival findings from multiple African sites. A key discovery involves Algerian educators teaching in colonial schools across Mauritania and French Soudan, illustrating the fluidity of trans-Saharan connections during this period. By adopting this method, scholars can reconceptualize multi-sited research and reassess how historical knowledge is structured, offering a more nuanced understanding of colonial-era Africa.

Anderson, S. D. (2022). From Algiers to Timbuktu: Multi-Local Research in Colonial History Across the Saharan Divide. History in Africa, 49, 277–299. https://doi.org/10.1017/hia.2021.22