Jonathan Choti

chotijon@msu.edu
(517) 355-8358

B380 Wells Hall
619 Red Cedar Rd
East Lansing, MI 48824

FacultyLinguistics, Languages, and Cultures

Assistant Professor
African Languages

Biography

B.A. English Language, Linguistics, Swahili, M.A. English Language & Linguistics, Egerton University, Kenya

Ph.D. Linguistics (2015), Michigan State University

Jonathan Choti is an Assistant Professor of African Languages and Cultures. He teaches Swahili and a course in the Center for Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities (CISAH) that focuses on African cultures, languages, and literature. He is also the faculty leader of a 6-week summer education broad program known as Sustainable Community Development in Tanzania. He is a member of a number of professional bodies, e.g. the Association of Contemporary African Linguistics (ACAL), the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages (NCOLCTL), African Language Teachers’ Association (ALTA), Kenya Scholars and Studies Association (KESSA), and Chama cha Ukuzaji wa Kiswahili Duniani (Chaukidu). Choti’s research interests focus on the phonology and morphology of Bantu languages, Swahili, the pedagogy of minority languages, and language documentation. He is the 2019 recipient of the Mid-Michigan Spartans Quality in Teaching Awardco-recipient of the 2020 Excellence Award in Interdisciplinary Scholarship, recipient of the 2020-2021 Lilly Fellowship, and the 2020 Summer Hub Faculty Fellowship Program.

Media Mentions

Awards and Honors

University News

Grant Supports International Community Engaged Partnership
Published November 16, 2023 in College of Arts & Letters
Jonathan Choti, Associate Professor in the Department of Linguistics, Languages, and Cultures (LiLaC), received Michigan State University’s 2023-2024 Creating Inclusive Excellence Grant (CIEG) of…Read now »
Mozilla Grant Empowers African-Informed Approach to Global Technology Design
Published October 30, 2023 in College of Arts & Letters
Two pictures side by side: the picture on the right features a man in a red shirt and blue blazer smiling; the picture on the right features a woman with short hair, glasses, and a black shirt smiling.
Michigan State University received a 2023 Responsible Computing Challenge Award for $150,000 from the Mozilla Foundation to center African perspectives in technology course/curriculum redesign.The…Read now »
College Celebrates Accomplishments of 2023 Promoted Faculty
Published September 20, 2023 in College of Arts & Letters
Outdoor clock tower.
This year, 20 faculty members within the College of Arts & Letters have received promotions. The success of these individuals was celebrated during the 2023 Faculty and Staff…Read now »
Professor Works to Alleviate Food Insecurity in Northern Tanzania Community
Published March 15, 2023 in College of Arts & Letters
To help alleviate the food insecurity crisis in a northern Tanzania community, Jonathan Choti, Assistant Professor of African Languages and Cultures in the Department of Linguistics,…Read now »
International Collaboration to Explore Intersectionality and Inclusion in Research and Curriculum Design
Published December 9, 2022 in College of Arts & Letters
A collaborative project focusing on “Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality in Africa: the History and Current Status of LGBTQ+ in Kenya,” led by College of Arts & Letters…Read now »
Jonathan Choti Receives Carnegie Fellowship for Educational Project in Kenya
Published June 7, 2022 in College of Arts & Letters
Jonathan Choti, an African-born scholar and Assistant Professor of African Languages and Cultures at Michigan State University, will engage with counterparts in Kenya this summer as part of the…Read now »
Integrative Arts and Humanities (IAH) Offers New and Innovative Courses
Published November 20, 2020 in College of Arts & Letters
two men shaking hands in the middle of classroom
Delivering general education curriculum in the arts and humanities requires some ingenuity to put the human experience into context. Faculty and instructors who teach in MSU’s Center for…Read now »
CAL in the Classroom
Published November 16, 2020 in College of Arts & Letters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRrykQ2_0HM Alumni and retired faculty and staff had the opportunity to attend a virtual event on November 7 where attendees got an insider’s look at the…Read now »
Study Abroad Wins Excellence Award in Interdisciplinary Scholarship
Published June 8, 2020 in College of Arts & Letters
a group of people taking a photo in front of houses
Jonathan Choti, Assistant Professor of African Languages in the Department of Linguistics and Germanic, Slavic, Asian, and African Languages, and two doctoral students, Pauline…Read now »
Two Professors to Receive Quality in Teaching Awards
Published October 18, 2019 in College of Arts & Letters
brick building with a blue sky and colorful leaves
Two Professors from the College of Arts & Letters are recipients of the 2019 Mid-Michigan Spartans Quality in Teaching Award, which recognizes excellence in classroom instruction through the…Read now »