Vincent Hiribarren talks on Kanem-Bornu and Nomads in Central Africa

On June 8th, Dr. Vincent Hiribarren, lecturer in African History at King’s College London, came to Oxford to present his research on the the Empire of Kanem-Bornu in Central Africa. This enigmatic kingdom is one of Africa’s first nomadic states, with a king list stretching back almost a millennia. The Kingdom controlled Saharan trade routes and was an important node in the Islamisation of Africa. Dr. Hiribarren presented his research on the 1000 year history of Kanem-Bornu and its varying geopolitics, archaeology, and society, providing a crucial insight into one of Africa’s least well-known Empires. The workshop explored issues relating to nomadism and its place in Kanem-Bornu as well as state sponsorship of trade routes. This proceeded to a discussion on the place of the environment in the formation of geopolitical arrangements in Central Africa.