Kenyan Politics and the Politics of Summer Programs

Abstract

This brief article for the Proceedings of the American Society of International Law’s annual symposium discusses the interrelationship of Legal education partnerships in Africa and domestic politics using Kenya as an example. The practicalities and cultural benefits of living and studying in a foreign country are inevitably intertwined with the political tensions and aspirations embedded in that society. This article first discusses the special rewards and practicalities of a summer program in Africa; and then attempts to provide a richer, more complex picture of the recent political struggle and ethnic conflict in Kenya after the December, 2007 Presidential election. It draws on several narratives including Neo-colonialism, demographic determinism, British divide and rule, and Democratic Legitimacy to help explain events.

Keywords: legal education, Africa, Kenya, neo-colonialism, ethnic clashes, summer abroad programs

JEL Classification: K33