ina . ▁His ▁academic ▁work ▁has ▁three ▁major ▁fo ci ▁within ▁East ▁and ▁Central ▁Africa . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁was ▁pre - colon ial ▁soci etal ▁transformation ▁in ▁the ▁K iv u ▁R ift ▁Valley . ▁ ▁The ▁second ▁was ▁how ▁a ▁R wand an ▁fam ine ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁rein for ced ▁colonial ▁rule . ▁ ▁The ▁final ▁major ▁focus ▁was ▁the ▁transformation ▁of ▁a ▁h unter - g ather er ▁society ▁in ▁the ▁eastern ▁Democratic ▁Republic ▁of ▁the ▁Congo ▁into ▁an ▁agricult ural ▁economy . ▁ ▁His ▁recent ▁work ▁has ▁included ▁studies ▁of ▁the ▁historical ▁roots ▁of ▁Central ▁African ▁violence ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁to ▁present . ▁René ▁Lem arch and ▁states , ▁" No ▁attempt ▁to ▁grasp ▁the ▁historical ▁context ▁of ▁gen o cide ▁[ in ▁R w anda ] ▁can ▁ignore ▁Catherine ▁ ▁and ▁David ▁New bury ’ s ▁sem inal ▁contributions ." ▁ ▁New bury ▁is ▁the ▁chair ▁of ▁the ▁Five ▁College ▁African ▁Studies ▁Council , ▁is ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Program ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁Ann ual ▁Me eting ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Historical ▁Association ▁( A HA ) ▁and ▁is ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁A HA ▁N omin ating ▁Committee . ▁ ▁The ▁chair ▁of ▁the ▁Gr adu ate ▁Student ▁Award ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁African ▁Studies ▁Association ▁( AS A ), ▁he ▁also ▁co - ed its , ▁with ▁C ath ar ine ▁New bury , ▁the ▁Book ▁Review ▁of ▁the ▁African ▁Studies