Paper short abstract:

The historical development and institutional context of anthropology varies across East Africa. The paper documents the development in Anthropological teaching and training within East Africa. The utility of anthropology is discussed in the context of political, social and developmental needs.

Paper long abstract:

The historical development and institutional context of anthropology as a discipline varies within and across East Africa. Early Anthropological work in Africa especially in territories occupied by the British was done by missionaries, explorers and colonial administrators. Sally Falk Moore's (1994) book contextualizes contributions by Anthropologists within the colonial framework which greatly restricted their scholarly visions. While Moore focuses on Africanist Anthropologists—mainly American Scholars but also French and some African scholars, Adam Kuper's book (Anthropologists and Anthropology) is more British leaning. These early anthropological roots have impacted the development and direction of Anthropology in Africa. For example, in Kenya, although the first President of the republic, Jomo Kenyatta, was an Anthropologist trained under Brawnislaw Malinowski, Anthropology as a discipline gained a foothold only more recently. A review of the development of Anthropology in Kenya reveals three phases: the pre-independence phase, the period 1963 - 1985 and post 1985 phase. Beginning the mid-1980s, the first anthropology programme in a Kenya University was started at the University of Nairobi. Gradually Anthropology was introduced in other Universities by those who moved out of the University of Nairobi. The paper traces and documents the development in Anthropological teaching and training within the Kenyan context and draws comparisons from East African region. The past and current discourses have influenced the trends and direction that Anthropology has taken. In conclusion, the utility of the discipline is discussed in the context of the wider political, social and developmental needs.