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Carolyn Fluehr-Lobban, BA ’67, MA ’69
Richard A. Lobban Jr., MA ’68
Gallery of Success Awardees: College of Liberal Arts

Carolyn Fluehr-Lobban and Richard A. Lobban Jr. are experts in African studies who have spent their careers living and conducting research in African nations including Sudan, Egypt and Tunisia. They currently serve as professors emeriti at Rhode Island College, where they have taught for 39 years. Fluehr-Lobban served as director of General Education there, and Lobban served as chair of anthropology as well as director of African and Afro-American studies. They received their doctorate degrees in anthropology at Northwestern University and were among the first students to receive their master’s degrees from Temple University’s Department of Anthropology.

Fluehr-Lobban’s primary areas of anthropological expertise involve Islamic law and society, women’s social and legal status in Muslim countries and ethics in anthropological research. Lobban focuses on conflict and urban studies in Africa and he has published books about slavery, conflict in Sudan, women in the Middle East, and ancient and medieval Africa. They co-founded the Sudan Studies Association and both have served as president. They designed curricula and taught courses for the Naval War College, educating officers and enlisted men and women about Africa, the Middle East and Islam. Both are fluent in Arabic.

Fluehr-Lobban and Lobban have authored or edited more than 20 books. They currently are preparing Encyclopedia Britannica’s first entry on the Republic of South Sudan. Fluehr-Lobban’s latest research, funded by the U.S. Institute for Peace, was conducted in Sudan between 2007 and 2009. Lobban continues his work excavating in Sudan while studying conflict there with a grant from the Office of Naval Research. They continue to travel to Africa for research and to teach, and in their spare time both are enthusiastic beekeepers.

Temple University Alumni

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