Daniel McNeil is a distinguished historian, cultural critic, and public intellectual whose groundbreaking work bridges the fields of Black Atlantic Studies, Diaspora Studies, Cultural Studies, and anti-racist education. Currently the inaugural Stuart Hall Interdisciplinary Chair at the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, McNeil has spent over two decades shaping scholarly and public conversations about anti-racism, migration, multiculturalism, and cultural politics.
Born in Merseyside, England, McNeil holds a B.A. (Honours) in Modern History from Oxford University and earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in History from the University of Toronto. His academic journey has taken him across the UK, Canada, and the United States, with faculty appointments as a research chair in Black Studies, a strategic hire in Migration and Diaspora Studies, and a lecturer in Media and Cultural Studies.
McNeil’s teaching and mentorship have inspired students across disciplines to engage the connections between the arts, social justice, and decolonial thought. His courses on Black Atlantic history, migration, and cultural criticism have produced award-winning student projects and fostered inclusive intellectual communities. In recognition of his ability to seek out the strengths of others and facilitate their flourishing, he has received multiple mentorship awards, including the from the Caribbean Philosophical Association.
McNeil is the author of several influential books, including and . He is also the co-editor of and a prolific author of academic articles, chapters and essays. His interdisciplinary research has been recognised with numerous accolades, visiting professorships and fellowships, including the Editor’s Award from the Canadian Journal of Communication, the Ida B. Wells-Barnett Visiting Professorship of African and Black Diaspora Studies at DePaul University, and the inaugural Visiting Public Humanities Faculty Fellowship at the University of Toronto.
Beyond academia, McNeil is deeply committed to public scholarship. From 2022 to 2025, he produced and hosted The Black Studies Podcast, a platform that assembled artists, activists, curators, and scholars to explore creative and collaborative knowledge-making. He has also co-designed museum exhibitions, curated gallery events, and developed award-winning online educational resources.
Whether in the classroom, on the page, or behind the microphone, Daniel McNeil continues to challenge conventional narratives and expand the boundaries of interdisciplinary scholarship. His work exemplifies the power of the humanities and social sciences to illuminate histories, confront inequalities, and imagine more just futures.