John Kamau

John Kamau

First Name: 
John
Last Name: 
Kamau
Title: 
PhD Program
Biography : 

I have spent most of my life in newsroom writing for various publications. I am a columnist with Kenya's Sunday Nation where I write the award-winning history column, People, Power and Politics. I have interest in archival material and have published three books and participated in various biography and history projects. I am also an avid Rotarian.

Education: 
MA, University of London (UK)
BA (Honours), University of Nairobi (Kenya)

People Type:

Research Area:

Areas of Interest: 

My general academic interests are on state formations in Africa and Caribbean, black internationalism and decolonization in British colonies in Africa and the Caribbean.

I am interested in comparing and contrasting the post-colonial character of British colonies in the Caribbean and Africa, the transnational collaborations and how the black intellectuals in Caribbean influenced their counterparts in Africa. I shall further explore the racial and political doctrine of Garveyism, Pan-Africanism and the concept of self-determination while investigating the political culture and intellectual practice forged in response to slavery, colonialism, and white imperialism.

Program:

Dissertation Supervisors: 
Julie MacArthur
Dissertation Description: 

I will be looking at the character of the Kenyan state and politics under Jomo Kenyatta (1963- 1979) and how his personal and professional relationship with Caribbean intellectuals such as George Padmore, W.E.B. Dubois, C.L.R. James, Marcus Garvey, Dudley Thompson and other activists and scholars in Europe and Caribbean shaped his politics.

Campus:

Meta Description: 
Learn more about John Kamau, a graduate student in the Department of History at the University of Toronto.