Aribidesi Usman
Associate Professor
Ph.D., Anthropology, Arizona State University
SHESC Themes: Culture, Heritage and Identity; Global Dynamics and Regional Interactions; Societies and their Natural Environments
Field Specializations: Archaeology, urban societies, state-periphery interactions, social and political organization, oral tradition, ethnohistory, migration, frontier dynamics, early colonial contacts, trans-Atlantic contact and cultural transformation, cultural resource management, art and indigenous technology
Regional Focus: Africa, West Africa
Contact: Desi Usman, WILSON 140
Research:
Usman's primary research agenda has been aimed at understanding and documenting hinterland societies in north central Nigeria and their socio-historical relationship with large centers of power. This interest is based on the premise that the historical dynamics of large African states, kingdoms and empires cannot be adequately explained without a thorough understanding of the nature of relationships that existed between them and their hinterland village communities.
Research Projects:
Teaching:
Usman teaches interdisciplinary courses that intersect the traditional boundaries of history, archaeology, anthropology, arts and politics.
Select Publications:
Usman, A. (2008). The nineteenth century black Atlantic. In T. Falola & K. Roberts (Eds.), The Atlantic world, 1450-2000 (pp. 114-134). Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Usman, A. (2007). The landscape and society of northern Yorubaland during the era of the slave trade. In A. Ogundiran & T. Falola (Eds.), Archaeology of Atlantic Africa and the African diaspora (pp. 140-159). Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Usman, A. (2006). Ancient stone sculptures of Africa. In G. T. Emeagwali (Ed.), Africa and the academy: Challenging hegemonic discourses on Africa (pp. 61-84). Trenton: Africa World Press.
Usman, A., J. Aleru & R. Alabi (2005). Sociopolitical formation on the Yoruba northern frontier: A report of recent work at Ila-Iyara, North Central Nigeria. Journal of African Archaeology, 3(1), 139-154.
Usman, A., R. Speakman & D. Glascock (2005). An initial assessment of prehistoric ceramic production and exchange in northern Yoruba, North Central Nigeria: Results of ceramic compositional analysis. African Archaeological Review, 22(3): 141-168.
Usman, A. (2004). On the frontier of empire: Understanding rampart walls in northern Yoruba, Nigeria. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, 23(1), 119-132.
Usman, A. (2003). Early urbanism in northern Yorubaland. In T. Falola & S. Salm (Eds.), Nigerian Cities (pp. 47-78). Trenton: Africa World Press.
Usman, A. (2003). The ethnohistory and archaeology of warfare in northern Yoruba. Journal of African Archaeology, 1(2), 201-214.
Usman, A. (2001). State-periphery relations and sociopolitical development in Igbominaland, North-Central Yoruba, Nigeria. British Archaeological Report International Series 993. London: Archeopress.
Usman, A. (2000). A view from the periphery: Northern Yoruba villages during the Old Oyo Empire, Nigeria. Journal of Field Archaeology, 27(1), 43-61.