معرفی
Kamau Wairuri is a Lecturer in Criminology at Edinburgh Napier University's School of Applied Sciences and a Research Fellow at the Institute of Public Policy and Governance at Strathmore University Business School in Nairobi, Kenya. His academic work bridges criminological theory with practical policy applications, with a geographic focus on Africa, particularly Kenya.
His educational background includes a PhD in African Studies from the University of Edinburgh (2017-2022), an MSc in African Studies from the University of Oxford (2014-2015), and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Nairobi (2006-2009).
Dr. Wairuri's research takes an intersectional and interdisciplinary approach to state-society relations in Kenya, with thematic focus on: (1) Policing, Crime control and Security Policy, examining police abuse of power, accountability mechanisms, and alcohol/drug control; and (2) Social Movements and Solidarities, analyzing how marginalized groups build power through movement building and protests. His work has been published in journals including African Affairs and Crime Quarterly, as well as in the Routledge Handbook for the Horn of Africa.
His 15 most recent publications (2018-2025) demonstrate a consistent focus on police accountability, state violence, and marginalized communities in African contexts. His research shows an evolution from examining specific police operations and reforms toward broader theoretical questions about police abolition and alternative justice systems, while maintaining empirical grounding in Kenyan urban contexts.
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK)
As an educator, Dr. Wairuri teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses on policing and transnational crimes at Edinburgh Napier University. He has previously taught at the University of Edinburgh, University of Strathclyde Glasgow, and Strathmore University. His teaching covers Policing and Crime Control, African politics, Transnational crimes, Gender and Development, and the Political Economy of Global Development. He also hosts The Kenyanist, a podcast exploring Kenyan social and political issues.
Dr. Wairuri is affiliated with the Social Sciences Research Group at Edinburgh Napier University and contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to gender equality, economic growth, reduced inequality, and peaceful societies. His work bridges academic research with practical policy applications through his consultancy work with organizations including Uber, Safaricom, and various Kenyan government agencies.
