Dr. Amanda Lewis-Nang'ea is a specialist in African history and the history of science, focusing on the history of pastoralists and wildlife conservation in East Africa. Her work blends oral histories of the Maasai, scientists, conservationists, and wildlife management with archival and scientific research.
On Leave (Fall 2024)
Dr. Lewis-Nang'ea is on research leave, Fall 2024.
Curriculum Vitae
Education
B.A., King University, Bristol, TN
M.A., East Tennessee State University
Ph.D., Michigan State University
Classes
-
HIST 287: Modern Africa
This course begins roughly with the end of the global slave trade and continues to the present, covering the entire continent of Africa. You will learn about the growing influence of European incursion into the continent and Africa responses to the political, economic, and social changes colonialism brought. In this course, we will study the history of what nationalism meant for Africans beginning during the two World Wars and ending with the struggle of late twentieth century African nations to govern diverse populations. The process of decolonization in Africa was one of the most important historical transformations of the twentieth century, but the nationalist sentiments behind the long roads to freedom shaped each new country The scope of the course will include the influence of Pan-Africanism, key African philosophers and political leaders, the Cold War, and the struggles to change the social and economic inequalities in Africa.
-
HIST 533: Hist Enviro, Science, and Tech
This course examines the history of the environment, science, and technology. These broad fields are subfields that cover all geographic spaces and over the span of human history. Environmental history examines the reciprocal relationship between humans and the earth. The history of science and technology explores systems of knowledge and their practical and theoretical outcomes as humans attempt to understand the natural world around them and put that knowledge to use. The course may be theoretical or focused on a subtheme.
Guidelines for Requesting a Letter of Recommendation or Reference for Dr. Lewis-Nang’ea
Part of my job is writing letters of recommendation or providing a reference for my students who apply to jobs, graduate school, internships, or awards. In order to make this a transparent process, here are some guidelines for asking me for a recommendation or reference. Following these will not ensure that I say yes to you, but will give you a good idea about how to go about the process effectively with me or other professors.
- Choose faculty who know you well. It is really hard to write a glowing letter for someone who sits quietly in my class but may make good grades. If I never see you in office hours or don’t have some way of making a stronger connection, I may not be able to write the strongest recommendation. Keep this in mind in all your classes. Ideally, we should have had conversations outside of class, you should demonstrate that you had interest in the course material, and demonstrated leadership or problem-solving skills in class. Plan ahead. You need to think about how I view your performance in my class.
- Make a formal request. You should ideally do this in person, but you can also send this by email (for example, if a request is needed over the summer). You will need to provide material that will help me write the best letter or give the strongest recommendation. This includes, but is not limited to, information about the program/job/internship/ you are applying to, a record of relevant coursework, explanation of research or essays you completed in my classes, experiences outside the classroom (this may be a CV or resume), and a personal statement, which is 2-3 paragraphs describing your interest and preparation for the position you are applying for.
- Ask early. I need a minimum of 3 weeks before the due date, and ideally more than a month. I may decline to write this if you wait too close to the deadline or I don’t feel I’ve been given enough time and materials to write the letter. Remember that I am doing this on top of my other work and responsibilities.
- Permissions associated with references/letters of recommendation. Do not give my name as a reference until I have agreed to do the reference. If you wish me to speak specifically to your grades and details of your performance in class, please submit a signed confidentiality waiver. You must also waive your right to see my letter of recommendation.
- I will only send letters directly to the school, internship supervisor or employer. Please don’t ask me to give you the letter to send, even when the instructions say to do this. Find a contact for me to submit the letter on your behalf.
- Keep me updated. This is not required, but it is nice to hear about my students’ success and the outcome of your applications.