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Christian Velasco Reyes

My Research

My PhD research, The Kenyan Banking System: From Colonial Expansion to Independence Uncertainty, 1950-1970, is an historical analysis of the most important commercial banks during that time frame: The National Bank of India, The Standard Bank of South Africa and Barclays DCO. The main objectives of the investigation are to re-evaluate the crucial role of these institutions in the development of the colony and how this defined the later performance of the financial system in independent Kenya. It also demonstrates how the performance of these institutions during the period of colonial domination outlined the relationship between Africans and financial organisations in the long-term.

Research Interests

My main interest is the East African Financial History, in special banking development since the late nineteenth century up to the twentieth century. During my Master, I worked in a comparative study between Ghana and Botswana banking performance after their independence.

  • East African Financial History

  • Financial History developing countries

  • African Economic & Social History

  • Banking History

  • Comparative Economic History


Academic Profile

  • PhD History, Warwick University, 2015-2019 (CONACYT)
  • MSc Economic History, The London School of economics and Political Sciences, 2012-2013 (CONACYT): Dissertation: Economic divergence and financial development: A comparative analysis of Ghana's and Botswa'sfinancial systems after their Independence.
  • Specialisation Degree, Economic History, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 2009-2011, Dissertation: The Making of the Middle Class During the Mexican Independence
  • BA History, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 2004-2008

Publications

“A Colony for the Bankers: The Role of the Colonial Authorities in the Expansion of Commercial Banks in Kenya”
The Journal of Business History, (peer review) 2019

Teaching Experience

Seminar Tutor, Department of History, The University of Warwick
  • Subjects: Making the Modern World, North America Themes and Problems, since 2017
Associate professor, Faculty of Economics, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) since 2013
  • Subjects: World Economic History, Mexican Economic History, History of Economic Thought

Associate Professor, Faculty of Superior Studies Actlan (UNAM), since, 2013

  • Sujects: World Economic History

Assistant Professor, Faculty of Arts, (UNAM), 2010

  • Subject: Deep Roots of Mexican Independence. Seminar convenor: Emeritus Professor, Enrique Semo Calev

Professor, Science and Humanities College, 2008-2009

  • Subjects: World History, General Mexican History

Certificates and Courses

Mexican Economic History, Interactive Museum of Economy, 2011

Rethinking Economic Crisis and Monetary Polices, Faculty of Economics, UNAM, 2008

Brazilian Economic Historiography, Faculty of Economics, UNAM, 2008

Selected Papers and Seminars

Stability Perspectives: Kenyan Banking System after the Mau Mau War, African Connections, Leipzig University, 2018

A Colony of Bankers: New Approaches to Commercial Banking History in Colonial Kenya, Seminar at British Institute in Eastern Africa, Nairobi, 2018  

Stranger in a Colonised Land: The Representation of Colonial identity in the 1960s Sciencie Fiction, (Un) Ethical Futures: Utopia Dystopia and Science Fiction, Monash University, 2017

When we Broke our Chains: Public Memory and Colonial Past in Mexico and Kenya, The Ever Present Past Conference, University of Essex, 2017

Savings and Letters: The Post Office Savings Bank and the formation of African savers in British East Africa’, The British Post Office in the Telecommunications Era, Science Museum London, 2017

Savers and Vassals: Financial Acculturation in Early Colonial Kenya, African Studies Centre, University of Oxford, 2017

World Financial System at The importanceof the First World War in History, UNAM, 2014

Financial Development and Economic Growth at XI Symposium of Mexican Students and Studies’ Sheffield, 2013

Germany Between Wars: Form recession to Depression (1918-1931) at Germany an Historical Mosaic, UNAM, 2010


Distinction and Awards

Royal History Society, Research Grant 2017

Economic History Society, Research Grant, 2017

National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) 2015-2019

CONACYT Scholarship, 2012-2013

Santander Scholarship to Master Studies, 2012

Graduate Support scheme: London School of Economics and Political Sciences, Thought Master Students 2012

High Academic Distinction, Bacherlor Degree, UNAM 2008


Memberships

British Institute in Eastern Africa

Royal Historical Society

Economic History Society

 

Christian

Contact details

Humanities Building (Second Floor) Room: H242

Email: C dot Velasco-Reyes at warwick dot ac dot uk


Sponsors

Conacyt


UNAM


Latest Seminar

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