Claire Nicolas

I am a historian of Africa and global history at the University of Basel, with research expertise in gender, imperialism, globalisation, and twentieth-century decolonisation.

I gained a joint PhD at the University of Lausanne and SciencesPo Paris (2014-2019). This work led to my first monograph, Une si longue course (in French). This research reinterprets twentieth-century African history through the lens of cultural and social practices, particularly the complex interplay between sport, colonialism, and citizenship formation. I pursued my postdoctoral career at King’s College London, SOAS, and the University of Geneva (2020-2024), through the SNF PostDoc Mobility programme.

I am now an Ambizione Fellow at the University of Basel, since November 2024. Here, I lead a research project on the World – Young Women’s Christian Association in Africa. In this project, I trace how the original YWCA’s class-based and gendered focus on sexuality and welfare shifted, under the influence of African members.

Mail. claire.nicolas@unibas.ch ORCID. 0000-0003-3429-5209