Makau W. Mutua
SUNY Distinguished Professor; Margaret W. Wong Professor
Research Focus: Public International Law, Human Rights, International Business Transactions, Post-Colonialism, Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL), State Reconstruction, Post-Conflict Societies, Constitution-Making, Transitional Justice
Links: Curriculum Vitae, SSRN
Contact Information
626 O'Brian Hall, North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260-1100
716-645-2311
mutua@buffalo.edu
Makau Mutua is a SUNY Distinguished Professor and the Margaret W. Wong Professor at the University at Buffalo School of Law, where he served as dean for seven years, 2008-2014. He teaches international human rights, international business transactions and international law. He was educated at the University of Nairobi, the University of Dar-es-Salaam and Harvard Law School. Mutua is a vice president of the American Society of International Law and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
In 2002-03, while on sabbatical in Kenya, Mutua chaired the Task Force on the Establishment of a Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation Commission, which recommended a truth commission for Kenya. He also was a delegate to the National Constitutional Conference, which produced a contested draft constitution for Kenya.
Mutua is the author of several books, including Kenya’s Quest for Democracy: Taming Leviathan (2008), Human Rights NGOs in East Africa: Political and Normative Tensions (2008) and Human Rights: A Political and Cultural Critique (2002). He has written numerous scholarly articles as well as dozens of articles for popular publications such as The New York Times, Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor, Chronicle of Higher Education and the Washington Post. He has conducted numerous human rights, diplomatic and rule of law missions to countries in Africa, Latin America and Europe.