Professor Thoko Kaime

Professor Thoko Kaime is Chairholder of African Legal Studies at the University Bayreuth and a Senior Teaching Fellow in the School of Law at SOAS. Furthermore, he is the project leader for the Tanzanian-German Centre for Eastern African Legal Studies (TGCL) at the University of Dar es Salaam and also serves as trustee for the Essex Wildlife Trust. Prior to his appointment at the University of Bayreuth, Prof. Dr. Kaime worked was Deputy Dean for Postgraduate Studies at the University of Essex as well as the Co-Chair for legal aspects of sustainable energy for all community of practice at the George-Washington University (USA). Prof. Dr. Kaime is a public international lawyer and maintains research and teaching interests in human rights and international environmental law. His work is an ongoing socio-legal critique of international legal arrangements which he expresses through a consideration of a number of critical issues in human rights and sustainability governance. He has written extensively on these subjects, focusing on the intersection between law, legitimacy and public participation in international rule-making and policy implementation. 

Thematic interests

International energy law and policy (including sustainable energy for all; access to energy and human rights; energy finance and human rights) Law and natural resources (including law and policy for ecosystems services; regulatory frameworks for climate change; access to water; risk regulation in natural resources) International human rights law (including human rights in Africa; children's rights; refugee rights) Research methods (including socio-legal methodologies; disruptive discourse and innovation) 

 

Regional interests

Southern Africa; East Africa; West Africa; South America

Current work

Dr Kaime’s current work investigates role of disruptive discourse in shaping progressive action and accountability frameworks in international law. In particular, he is investigating the extent to which human rights language can be deployed as a strategic tool for the realisation of sustainable energy for all including the articulation of a general right of access to basic energy services.