Richard A. Lobban
Richard A. Lobban Jr. in 2008
Born	Richard Andrew Lobban Jr. (1943-11-03) November 3, 1943 (age 81)
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Carolyn Fluehr-Lobban ​ ​ (m. 1968)​
Children	2
Academic background
Education	Bucknell University (BS) Temple University (MA) Northwestern University (PhD)
Thesis	Social Networks in the Urban Sudan (1973)
Academic work
Discipline	Anthropology archaeology
Sub-discipline	African studies
Institutions	Dartmouth College Carnegie-Mellon University University of Pittsburgh Tufts University University of Khartoum American University in Cairo Rhode Island College Naval War College

Richard Andrew Lobban Jr. (/ˈloʊbən/; born November 3, 1943) is an American anthropologist, archaeologist, Egyptologist, Sudanist, human rights activist, beekeeper, and former war journalist. He is professor emeritus^[1] of anthropology and African studies at Rhode Island College, in Providence, Rhode Island, and a lecturer at the Archaeological Institute of America and the Naval War College.^[2][3] He is an expert on Ancient Sudan and Ancient Egypt,^[4] with a particular focus on Nubia.^[5][6] He is a co-founder of the Sudan Studies Association.^[7][8]

He is a three-time unsuccessful Democratic party candidate for the New Hampshire General Court. He received the third-most votes in the New Hampshire House of Representatives primary election for the Grafton 9 district in 2020,^[9] he was unsuccessful when he ran for New Hampshire's 7th State Senate district against Daniel Innis in 2022, and in 2024 he lost in the general election for the Grafton 10 district against John Sellers.^[10]

Richard Andrew Lobban Jr. was born to Dorothy and Richard Andrew Lobban. His paternal grandparents were Sarah and James Lobban. James Lobban was a teacher of Greek and Latin. His parents were supporters of internationalism and African studies.^[11] Lobban graduated from Bucknell University with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. He received a Master of Arts degree and Doctor of Philosophy degree in anthropology from Temple University and Northwestern University, respectively.^[12]

Lobban has taught at Dartmouth College, Carnegie-Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, Tufts University, the University of Khartoum, American University in Cairo, Rhode Island College, and the Naval War College. While in Sudan, Lobban discovered a previously unrecorded ancient Meroitic temple believed to have once belonged to a prince. Among items that were discovered was inscriptions of deities such as Hapi and a lintel virtually identical to solar temples dedicated to the god Amun.^[13] The temple is believed to have been destroyed during a fourth-century Axumite invasion.^[14]

Lobban established the Richard Lobban Family Endowed Lecture in 1999. It is intended to support public presentations on archaeological subjects based upon research on the African continent.^[11]

Lobban has also authored numerous books and publications such as the Historical Dictionary of Ancient and Medieval Nubia, Historical Dictionary of Sudan (2002), and Social Networks in Urban Sudan (1973).^[15] He has also authored/co-authored books such as Historical dictionary of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (1997), Cape Verde: Crioulo colony to independent nation (1995), Historical dictionary of Cape Verde (2007), and Middle Eastern women and the invisible economy (1998).

• "The Historical Role of the Mahas in the Urbanization of Sudan's 'Three Towns' with Special Reference to Two Communities: Tuti Island and Burri al Mahas". African Urban Notes. VI (2): 24–38. 1971.
• "Eritrean Liberation Front: A Close-Up View". Munger Africana Library Notes. 13 (3): 1–20. 1972.
• "Guinea-Bissau: 24 September 1973 and Beyond". Africa Today. 21 (1): 15–24. Winter 1974. JSTOR 4185637.
• "Alienation, Urbanisation, and Social Networks in the Sudan". The Journal of Modern African Studies. 13 (3): 491–500. 1975. doi:10.1017/S0022278X0005240X. JSTOR 159853.
• "The Eritrean War: Issues and Implications". Canadian Journal of African Studies. 10 (2): 335–346. 1976. doi:10.2307/483836. JSTOR 483836.
• "The Dialectics of Migration and Social Associations in the Urban Sudan". International Journal of Sociology. 7 (2): 99–120. 1977. JSTOR 20629756.
• "Class, Endogamy, and Urbanization in the "Three Towns" of the Sudan". African Studies Review. 22 (3): 99–114. 1979. doi:10.2307/523898. JSTOR 523898.
• "The Law of Elephants and the Justice of Monkeys: Two Cases of Anti-Colonialism in the Sudan". Africa Today. 28 (2): 87–95. 1981. JSTOR 4186003.
• "Class and Kinship in Sudanese Urban Communities". Africa: Journal of the International African Institute. 52 (2): 51–76. 1982. doi:10.2307/1159141. JSTOR 1159141.
• "Pigs and Their Prohibition". International Journal of Middle East Studies. 26 (1): 57–75. 1994. JSTOR 164052.
• "Problems and Strategies in the Decipherment of Meroitic". Northeast African Studies. 1 (2/3): 159–164. 1994. doi:10.1353/nas.1994.0017. JSTOR 41931102.
• "Slavery in the Sudan since 1989". Arab Studies Quarterly. 23 (2): 31–39. 2001. JSTOR 41858372.
• "Was Aesop a Nubian Kummaji (Folkteller)?". Northeast African Studies. 9 (1): 11–31. 2002. JSTOR 41931299.

• Lobban, Richard (September 2, 2022). "Candidate Statement – Richard Lobban for State Senator (Dem)". Andover Beacon.
• Lobban, Richard (November 4, 2022). "Candidate Statement – Richard Lobban – New Hampshire Senator". Andover Beacon.