Kirsten Rüther

Univ.-Prof. Kirsten Rüther holds a professorship at the Department of African Studies, University of Vienna. Her research focuses on African history and societies with emphasis on colonialism's legacies, urban studies in Zambia, and mobility research. She explores themes like housing policies in colonial Africa, health-seeking practices in South Africa, and global entanglements through historical and sociological lenses.

Current projects include analyzing late colonial housing politics in Kenya, Zambia, and DR Congo, and examining the 'Burial of Dennis the Goat' incident as a microcosm of South Africa's post-apartheid transition. Her work bridges archival research with contemporary societal dynamics, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches.

Publications span edited volumes on colonial housing systems to essays on urban-rural relations in Lusaka. She collaborates with international researchers through platforms like the doc.funds program and Austrian Science Fund (FWF)-supported projects. Her research highlights intersections of power, space, and identity in African contexts.