Mary Njeri Kinyanjui PhD

DISE COLLECTIVE MEMBER

***** **** *********

Queen Creek

AZ 85142

ad242z@r.postjobfree.com

480-***-****

Mary Njeri Kinyanjui is a grassroots person who has devoted her entire life working and researching communities at the margins of business and society. I am an expert on solving problems of development, inequality, and injustices. I have research skills in questionnaire development, administration, sample size selection, qualitative research methods, Keynote interviews, case study and focus groups. I am also an expert in content analyzes of popular songs, archival record reviews and geographical research methods of observation, measurement, map, and sketch drawings. I advise my students and work with them shoulder by shoulder to realize achievable goals for personal growth and transformation. I have statistical analytical skills such as SPSS and Excel. My leadership skills include board chairing, strategic plan development and budgeting.

I specialize on gender and development, trade justice, community development, domestic violence, transnational feminism, African feminism, feminist economics, peasant organization, Africana economic models, education and development, peace and development, industrialization, public policies, urbanization and indigenous institutions and economies.

I have skills in building individual agencies, community building, improving interpersonal relationships through utu ubuntu philosophy humanness and solidarity. I also have skills in report writing, academic book writing, short stories writing and opinion pieces development. I am an expert in monitoring and evaluation and development consulting.

I started out as an Industrial geographer who was trained at the University of Cambridge, UK. After five years of teaching and research on industries, I realized the ethical challenge of industrialization in my country, Kenya and Africa is the over millions of women working at the margins of business and society. They work as artisans, traders, fish mongers, artisanal miners, herders, quarry workers, small scale farmers and most of them were women. I also realized that beyond every unit of data, there is a story and a song that explains the lived experiences of these ordinary women. These stories influence their lives and leave an impact on their everyday feminism. Most of the time stories and songs in particular shape the character of what is right and wrong for people living feminist lives at the margins of business and society. The stories and songs drive their visions and aspirations in going through sexual and economic, extraction, oppression and exploitation. They sooth them and give them hope. I am an expert on African issues of development and resilience.

Since then, I have researched and taught classes on women’s movements, feminist theories, women and the informal economy in Africa, utu (humanness ) feminism, Feminist business models, and how women experience anthropain in their everyday lives. She taught at the University of Nairobi’s Institute for Development Studies and the African Women Studies for many years. She earned her PhD in Geography from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom and her master’s from Kenyatta University in Kenya. In 2022, she served as Activist-Scholar in Residence with the Buchanan Initiative for Peace and Nonviolence, Avila University, Kansas City, Missouri, USA. In 2021-2022 she taught at the Gender Studies Department, Mount Holyoke College as a visiting Lecturer. She also taught as an embedded practitioner in the Africana program at Mount Holyoke College in Spring 2018 and 2019. She has carried out many research projects and published over five books, many journal articles, book chapters and opinion pieces for Daily Newspapers. I have published with Zed, OSSREA, Nsemia and Lambert Publisher. My Journal articles have appeared in Journal of East African Research and Development, African Geographical Review, African Studies Review, Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography, Gender, Place and Culture, Journal of Entrepreneurship and Technology, and Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business. She has been awarded many fellowships and awards like the Bellagio Academic Residency, Italy.

Education

The University of Cambridge, UK

Kenyatta University, Kenya

The University of Nairobi

Honor Awards and Fellowships

Activist in Residence Buchanan Institute for Peace and Non-Violence, Avila University, KC

Five Colleges Women’s Studies Research Center

Best up becoming researcher, University of Nairobi, 2018

Bellagio Academic Residency

NORDIC AFRICA Institute

STIAS Institute of Advanced Study

United Nations Research Institute for Advanced Study

Open University African Center

Kobil merit award for best performance in education

Kobil merit award for best performance in geography

Grants

Kenyatta University Study Grant

Ford Foundation Study Grant

DANIDA Research Grant

Center for Development Research

CODESRIA

OSSREA

Courses Taught and Experience

Taught at the Institute for Development Studies, and African Women Studies, University of Nairobi

Gender and Development

Global institutions and gender and development

Feminist Research Methods

Feminist Economic models

Research methods

Utu (humanness) Indigenous encounters with universal feminism

Introduction to Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

African Feminist Theories

Transnational Feminism.

Expertise

Books and Monographs

Kinyanjui, Mary Njeri(2021). Wanjiku in Global Development: Everyday Ordinary Women Livelihood Economy in Kenya Nairobi: Nsemia

Kinyanjui, M. N., Thaker, R., and Toure, K. (Eds.) (2020). Covid stories from East Africa and beyond: Lived experiences and forward-looking reflections. Bamenda: Langaa. Press

Kinyanjui, Mary Njeri(2019) African markets: Utu-Ubuntu Business Model. A Perspective on the Informal Economy Cape Town: African Minds

Kinyanjui Mary Njeri. 2019The Sweet Sobs of Women in Response to Anthropain. New Castle Upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Press

Kinyanjui Mary Njeri (2015) Coffee Time. Bamenda: Langaa Press.

Kinyanjui Mary Njeri (2014) Women and the Informal Economy in Urban Africa: From the Margins to the Centre. London: Zed Publishers.

Kinyanjui Mary Njeri (2012) Vyama: Institutions of Hope: Ordinary People’s Market Coordination and Society Organization Alternatives. Nairobi: Nsemia Publishers.

Kinyanjui Mary Njeri (2010) Social Relations and Associations in the Informal sector. UNRISD project paper No. 43. E-book.

Book Chapters

Kinyanjui, Mary Njeri. 2022 ‘Centering Fireside Knowledge and Utu Feminisms: On Writing Feminist Margins from the Margins’. In A Datta J. Monsem AM Oberhauser. Bridging Feminist Geographies: Essays in Honor of Janice Monk. London: Routledge

Kinyanjui, Mary Njeri 2022 Do Women in Politics Lead to Better Governance? In Moseley William and Kefa Otiso (eds) Under the Palaver Tree: Debating Enduring and Contemporary African Issues. London. Routledge

Hossein, C. S. and Kinyanjui, M.N 2022 ‘Conclusion: Indigeneity, Politicized Consciousness and Lived Experience in Community Economies’, In Caroline Hossein and Christabel P.J (eds) Community Economies in the Global South: Case Studies of Rotating and Saving Credit Association and Cooperation. Oxford: Oxford University Press

Kinyanjui, Mary Njeri ‘Introduction’. In Kinyanjui, M. N., Thaker, R., and Toure, K. (Eds.) (2020) Covid stories from East Africa and beyond: Lived Experiences and Forward-looking Reflections. Bamenda: Langaa.

Kinyanjui Mary Njeri 2020 ‘Coronavirus: retracing our steps back home’. In Kinyanjui, M. N., Thaker, R., and Toure, K. (Eds.) (2020) Covid Stories from East Africa and Beyond: Lived experiences and Forward-looking Reflections. Bamenda: Langaa.

Kinyanjui, Mary Njeri 2019 ‘Feminine Utu: Rethinking Feminist Women Movements in Africa with a Special Focus on the Agikuyu of Kenya’. In Kabira, Wanjiku Mukabi, Kameri-Mbote Patricia, Kabira Nkatha and Meroka Agnes. (Eds) Changing the Mainstream: Celebrating Women’s Resilience. Nairobi: Women Studies Centre, University of Nairobi

Journal Articles

Kinyanjui Mary Njeri and Ruth Muendo ‘Care and social reproduction at the city’s margins: A case study of informal labor markets in an urban informal setting in Kenya’ Forthcoming Antipode Special Issue

Kinyanjui, Mary Njeri (2020) ‘Mama Jua Kali: Female Resistance and Resilience to the Coloniality of Modernism and Neoliberalism in Nairobi, Kenya’ Journal of Language, Technology and Entrepreneurship Volume 11. 1. 39-52

Kinyanjui, Mary Njeri (2019) ‘Situating Fireside Knowledge in Mainstream Development Feminist Academy’. Journal of Language, Technology and Entrepreneurship. Vol.10 No. 2 1-15

Kinyanjui, Mary Njeri (2019) ‘A Lone Ranger: My Journey Towards Becoming A Feminist Geographer in Nairobi, Kenya’. Gender Place and Culture: A Journal of Feminist Geographers. Published On Line 5/15/2019

Kinyanjui Mary Njeri (2017) ‘Making University Relevant to Society’. Journal of Language, Technology and Entrepreneurship . 8 (1) 135-138

Kinyanjui Mary Njeri (2016) ‘Ubuntu Nests and the Emergence of an African Metropolis’. Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography Vol.37 (3) 418-431

Kinyanjui Mary Njeri (2013) ‘Women Informal Garment Traders in Taveta Road’ Nairobi: From the Margins to the Centre’. African Studies Review. Vol. 56(03) 147-164

Newspaper pieces and blogs Combating

Deglobalization: Which Way for Kenya. Scholar Media 4/30/2023

How to Stop Youth Protests. Daily Nation 4/25/2023

Why Kenyan Youth Demonstrate and How We Can Get Off the Hook. Sholar Media, 4/8/2023

How to End the Odious Culture of Burning Books After Examination. The Standard Newspaper, 12/21/2022

Lessons for the Post Coronavirus Economy from the Informal Economy African Executive April 2020

Coronavirus Pandemic Offers Vital Lessons African Executive March 2020

The Effect of Coronavirus on the Poor in Africa. ISPI Dossier April 2020

How COVID-19Pademic will affect Informal Workers: Insights from Kenya. The Conversation, April, 2020

Mama Kamukuji Jua Kali: The Forgotten Heroine. African Executive. 10/3/2020

Two Thirds Gender Rule Should not have Generated so much Noise. Daily Nation. 31st November 2018

Taming Teenage Pregnancies. African Executive Online Magazine. 14-11-2018

Prepare Girls for Transition and Put them on Empowerment Path. Daily Nation, 22-10-2018

Sharon’s Death: Beyond Feminist Crocodile Tears. African Executive Online Magazine.

Beyond Feminist Crocodile Tears. Daily Nation, September 18, 2018

Strikes: Wanjiku is Watching. The African Executive, April 4 2018.

Stop Killings in The Home as No Man is Worth a Woman’s Life. Letter to the Editor, Daily Nation, 31, 2017.

Common Issues: Where are Women Voices? The African Executive, 29 March, 2017.

Domestic Abuse: To legislate or not to legislate? The Star, 13th June, 2014.

Women Must Determine Their Own Destiny. Daily Nation, Thursday, 21st November, 2013..

Nancy Baraza: War Against Women Elite? The African Executive.

Leadership and community participation

Keynote Speaker. Liviana Community Economy Conference. Humanness and Solidarity Utu-Ubuntu. Wanjiku Everyday livelihood Economy. 10/30/2023

Guest Speaker, Utu Feminism: Daily Lives of Ordinary Women in Kenya. Gender class. Department of Psychology, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, 8/21/22

Guest Speaker. My Research Trajectory Journey. Social Work Class. Avila University 11/10/2022. Avila University. KC, Missouri

Speaker. Peace Interview with Peace Studies Students. Avila University. 11/8/2022 KC, Missouri

Guest Speaker. Women, Money, Death, and Patriarchy. Gender and Crime Class. Avila University. 11/3/2022 KC, Missouri

Guest Speaker. Situating Fireside Knowledge in Feminist Development Academy. Feminist Theory Class Avila University. 10/26/2022. KC, Missouri

Speaker. Truman Distinguished Lecture Series: Personal Philosophes, Beliefs and Values: Implications for Resilience and Empathy. 10/20/2022. Avila University. KC, Missouri

Speaker. The Possibility of Using the Chama (social group) as a Tool for Integrating Refugees into the Market Economy. A talk given to the New Roots Staff Kansas City Missouri

Guest Speaker. Ubuntu. World Literature Class. Saint Teresa’s High School. Kansas, City Missouri. 10/4/22. KC, Missouri

Guest Speaker. Human Trafficking. A talk to the Theatre Arts Students acting the Play the Walk. 10/4/22. Avila University. KC, Missouri

Speaker. Ubuntu and African Origins of the Social Economy. Presented at the Launch of the Worlding Feminist Political Economy Series. University of Toronto, Canada. 9/20/2022

Panelist: Labour. COVID 19 World Wide Consequences on Women. Monday, April 26, 2021. 3.00-5.00 PM. Rutgers Global Discussion.

Panelist Utu feminism: Towards an African feminism. March, 29, 2021, Department of philosophy, Detroit Mercy University

Gender and Labor Markets in the Global South. Presented in the WEBNAIR Gender and COVID 19 Gender Matters: COVID-19 and the Labor Market in the Global South DATE: May 28, 2020 (10:00-11:30EDT)

Utu Feminism: Towards an African Feminist Theory. Webinar. Making Researching African Women Work. African Women Centre, University of Nairobi. 2-6.30 pm, June24, 2020

Keynote Speaker General and Gender based violence in informal economy. Background paper to Convention 190. 27/11/2019. FES, Nairobi, Kenya

Public Talk. Women, Money, Death and Patriarchy. Five College Women’s Studies Research Center, 4/8/2019

Guest Lecturer Global Women’s History Westfield State University Topic: Women, Money Death, and Patriarchy 4/4/2019

Rethinking Feminist Women’s Movements in Africa, April 4, 2018, Public Talk. Five Colleges Women’s Study Research Center, Mount Holyoke

Positioning Women Peasants, Artisans and Traders in the Global Economy: Enfranchise or Vanquish. Critical Studies Association Five Colleges Consortium. November 28th 2017.

The Search for an Inclusive and Just Global Economy: Women Peasants, Artisans and Traders Matter to the Global Economy. Five Colleges Women’s Studies Research Center, March 7 2018.

Professional Affiliations

Association of American Geographers (AAG)

Association of African Studies (AAS)

British Eastern African Institute Association

Association of African Women Researchers in Development (AAWORD)

Forum for African Women Educationist (FAWE)

International Geographical Union Gender Commission (steering committee member)

Kenya Peasants League

Member of the National Committee for the Status of Women in Kenya (Executive Committee Member)

International Association of Feminist Economists

International Geographical Union Gender Commission

Diverse Solidarity Economies Collective

African Feminists Initiative

Member Editorial Board Gender Place and Culture

Podcast

Letting African women define Utu-Ubuntu in the market. The Diverse Economies for Youth Podcast. Hosted by Serena Bahadur. DISE Collective, 9/2/2023

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