Staff profile

Justin Willis' work has been largely concerned with identity, authority and social change in eastern Africa over the last two hundred years. With colleagues from Warwick and Birmingham, he recently completed work on a major ESRC-funded comparative history of elections in Kenya, Ghana and Uganda. He recently completed a project undertaken with colleagues in Uganda and France, looking at debates over Uganda's future in 1979-80, in the months after Amin's fall. His recent research has explored the history of saving and lending in Africa since the 1940s, with a focus on Savings and Credit Cooperatives in Kenya. At present he is working with colleagues at the National Museums of Kenya to create an exhibition examining the history of Mombasa through maps.

Areas of Postgraduate Supervision

Professor Willis has supervised doctoral students working on various aspects of modern eastern African history, from politics and islam on the Kenya coast since the 1950s to the history of banking in Sudan since the 1950s and the circulation of credit in nineteenth-century Zanzibar. Prospective students who would like to discuss ideas for doctoral research are very welcome to contact him.

• Sudan in the 19th and 20th centuries
• electoral history
• modern East Africa
• saving and money in Africa

Authored book

• Potent Brews. A Social History of Alcohol in East Africa 1850-1999
  
  Willis, J. (2002). Potent Brews. A Social History of Alcohol in East Africa 1850-1999. James Currey.
• Mombasa, the Swahili and the Making of the Mijikenda.
  
  Willis, J. (1993). Mombasa, the Swahili and the Making of the Mijikenda. Clarendon Press.

Chapter in book

• La côte kényane : religion, race, ethnicité et la notion fuyante de communauté politique’
  
  Willis, J., & Mwakimako, H. (2020). La côte kényane : religion, race, ethnicité et la notion fuyante de communauté politique’. In Le Kenya en Marche 2000-2020 (pp. 343-64). Open editions. https://doi.org/10.4000/books.africae.2009
• Alcohol licensing hours: time and temperance in Kenya
  
  Willis, J. (2014). Alcohol licensing hours: time and temperance in Kenya. In G. Klantschnig, N. Carrier, & C. Amber (Eds.), Drugs in Africa: Histories and Ethnographies of Use, Trade and Control (pp. 89-104). Palgrave.
• Chieftaincy
  
  Willis, J. (2013). Chieftaincy. In J. Parker & R. Reid (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Modern African History (pp. 208-23). OUP.
• Protecting young people. Alcohol, advertising and youth in Kenya.
  
  Willis, J. (2010). Protecting young people. Alcohol, advertising and youth in Kenya. In A. Burton & H. Charton-Bigot (Eds.), Generations Past. Youth in East African History. (pp. 279-90). Ohio University Press.
• The King of the Mijikenda, and other stories about the kaya. Heritage, politics and histories in multi-party Kenya
  
  Willis, J. (2009). The King of the Mijikenda, and other stories about the kaya. Heritage, politics and histories in multi-party Kenya. In D. Peterson & G. Macola (Eds.), Recasting the past : history writing and political work in modern Africa. (pp. 233-250). Ohio University Press.

Edited book

• The Sudan Handbook
  
  Ryle, J., Willis, J., Baldo, S., & Jok, J. (Eds.). (2011). The Sudan Handbook. James Currey.

Journal Article

• Harambee Co-operative Savings and Credit Society: Wealth, Inequality, and Accumulation in 1970s Kenya
  
  Willis, J., Upadhyaya, R., & Kamau, E. N. (2026). Harambee Co-operative Savings and Credit Society: Wealth, Inequality, and Accumulation in 1970s Kenya. The Journal of African History, 67, Article e3. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021853725100716
• Saving, inheritance and future-making in 1940s Kenya
  
  Velasco, C., & Willis, J. (2025). Saving, inheritance and future-making in 1940s Kenya. Past & Present: A Journal of Historical Studies, 267(1), 211–241. https://doi.org/10.1093/pastj/gtae013
• Has Kenya Democratized? Institutional strengthening and contingency in the 2022 general elections
  
  Cheeseman, N., Kanyinga, K., Lynch, G., & Willis, J. (2024). Has Kenya Democratized? Institutional strengthening and contingency in the 2022 general elections. Journal of Eastern African Studies, 18(2), 240-260. https://doi.org/10.1080/17531055.2024.2359154
• Debt, credit and obligation in Kenya's 2022 elections
  
  Chome, N., & Willis, J. (2024). Debt, credit and obligation in Kenya’s 2022 elections. Journal of Eastern African Studies, 18(2), 301-320. https://doi.org/10.1080/17531055.2024.2359159
• Document Number Five: Elections and Tutelary Politics in Uganda, 1967–1971
  
  Willis, J. (2023). Document Number Five: Elections and Tutelary Politics in Uganda, 1967–1971. The English Historical Review, 138(590-591), 281-306. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehr/cead080
• From peace campaigns to peaceocracy: elections, order and authority in Africa
  
  Lynch, G., Cheeseman, N., & Willis, J. (2019). From peace campaigns to peaceocracy: elections, order and authority in Africa. African Affairs, 118(473), 603-627. https://doi.org/10.1093/afraf/adz019
• Kenya's 2017 elections: winner-takes-all politics as usual?
  
  Cheeseman, N., Lynch, G., Kanyinga, K., Ruteere, M., & Willis, J. (2019). Kenya’s 2017 elections: winner-takes-all politics as usual? Journal of Eastern African Studies, 13(2), 215-234. https://doi.org/10.1080/17531055.2019.1594072
• Voting, nationhood, and citizenship in late-colonial Africa
  
  Willis, J., Lynch, G., & Cheeseman, N. (2018). Voting, nationhood, and citizenship in late-colonial Africa. Historical Journal, 61(4), 1113-1135. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0018246x18000158
• Preaching politics: Islam and Christianity on the Kenya coast
  
  Deacon, G., Gona, G., Mwakimako, H., & Willis, J. (2017). Preaching politics: Islam and Christianity on the Kenya coast. Journal of Contemporary African Studies, 35(2), 148-167. https://doi.org/10.1080/02589001.2017.1287345
• Ghana: the ebbing power of incumbency
  
  Cheeseman, N., Lynch, G., & Willis, J. (2017). Ghana: the ebbing power of incumbency. Journal of Democracy, 28(2), 92-104. https://doi.org/10.1353/jod.2017.0027
• “A valid electoral exercise”? Uganda’s 1980 elections and the observers’ dilemma
  
  Willis, J., Lynch, G., & Cheeseman, N. (2017). “A valid electoral exercise”? Uganda’s 1980 elections and the observers’ dilemma. Comparative Studies in Society and History, 59(1), 211-238. https://doi.org/10.1017/s001041751600058x
• La fabrique du vote: placer la matérialité au cœur de l’analyse.
  
  Perrot, S., Pommerolle, M., & Willis, J. (2016). La fabrique du vote: placer la matérialité au cœur de l’analyse. Politique Africaine., 144(4), 5-26. https://doi.org/10.3917/polaf.144.0005
• Islam and democracy: debating electoral involvement on the Kenya coast
  
  Mwakimako, H., & Willis, J. (2016). Islam and democracy: debating electoral involvement on the Kenya coast. Sudanic Africa : A Journal of Historical Sources., 7(1), 19-43. https://doi.org/10.1163/21540993-00701001
• Decentralisation in Kenya: the governance of governors
  
  Cheeseman, N., Lynch, G., & Willis, J. (2016). Decentralisation in Kenya: the governance of governors. Journal of Modern African Studies, 54(01), 1-35. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022278x1500097x
• La machine electorale: culture materielle des bureaux de vote au Ghana, au Kenya et en Ouganda. = The Voting Machine: The material culture of polling stations in Ghana, Kenya and Uganda
  
  Willis, J., Lynch, G., & Cheeseman, N. (2016). La machine electorale: culture materielle des bureaux de vote au Ghana, au Kenya et en Ouganda. = The Voting Machine: The material culture of polling stations in Ghana, Kenya and Uganda. Politique Africaine., 144(4), 27-50. https://doi.org/10.3917/polaf.144.0027
• The Southern Problem: representing Sudan's southern provinces to c. 1970
  
  Willis, J. (2015). The Southern Problem: representing Sudan’s southern provinces to c. 1970. Journal of African History, 56(02), 281-300. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0021853715000249
• “Peace and order are in the interests of every citizen”: Elections, violence and state legitimacy in Kenya, 1957-74
  
  Willis, J. (2015). “Peace and order are in the interests of every citizen”: Elections, violence and state legitimacy in Kenya, 1957-74. The International Journal of African Historical Studies., 48(1), 99-116.
• Democracy and its discontents: understanding Kenya’s 2013 elections
  
  Willis, J., Cheesman, N., & Lynch, G. (2014). Democracy and its discontents: understanding Kenya’s 2013 elections. Journal of Eastern African Studies, 8(1), 2-24. https://doi.org/10.1080/17531055.2013.874105
• Marginalization and participation on the Kenya coast: the 2013 elections
  
  Willis, J., & Chome, N. (2014). Marginalization and participation on the Kenya coast: the 2013 elections. Journal of Eastern African Studies, 8(1), 115-134. https://doi.org/10.1080/17531055.2013.844443
• Tradition, tribe and state in Kenya: the Mijikenda Union, 1945-1980
  
  Willis, J., & Gona, G. (2013). Tradition, tribe and state in Kenya: the Mijikenda Union, 1945-1980. Comparative Studies in Society and History, 55(2), 448-473. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0010417513000091
• Pwani C Kenya? Memory, documents and secessionist politics in coastal Kenya
  
  Willis, J., & Gona, G. (2013). Pwani C Kenya? Memory, documents and secessionist politics in coastal Kenya. African Affairs, 112(446), 48-71. https://doi.org/10.1093/afraf/ads064
• Tribal gatherings: colonial spectacle, native administration and local government in Condominium Sudan
  
  Willis, J. (2011). Tribal gatherings: colonial spectacle, native administration and local government in Condominium Sudan. Past and Present, 211(1), 243-268. https://doi.org/10.1093/pastj/gtq055
• Sudan’s Elections: Voting for Authoritarians
  
  Willis, J. (2011). Sudan’s Elections: Voting for Authoritarians. Africa Review, 3(1), 47-63. https://doi.org/10.1080/09744053.2011.10597304
• "We changed the laws." Electoral practice and malpractice in Sudan since 1953
  
  Willis, J., & al-Batthani, A. (2010). "We changed the laws." Electoral practice and malpractice in Sudan since 1953. African Affairs, 109(435), 191-212. https://doi.org/10.1093/afraf/adq003
• Budget drinking: alcohol consumption in two Kenyan towns
  
  Mutisya, D., & Willis, J. (2009). Budget drinking: alcohol consumption in two Kenyan towns. Journal of Eastern African Studies, 3(1), 55-73. https://doi.org/10.1080/17531050802682770
• What has he got up his sleeve? Advertising the Kenyan presidential candidates in 2007
  
  Willis, J. (2008). What has he got up his sleeve? Advertising the Kenyan presidential candidates in 2007. Journal of Eastern African Studies, 2, 264-71.

Monograph

• Reinventing Uganda: Political Imagination and Social Change after the Fall of Idi Amin
  
  Abdullahi, Y., Akugizibwe, M., Alidri, A., Brisset-Foucault, F., Kabasiita, J., Kaka P’Ongom, J., Lwassampijja, A., Namukasa, J., Ngabirano, E., & Willis, J. (2025). Reinventing Uganda: Political Imagination and Social Change after the Fall of Idi Amin. Makerere University Press.

Other (Print)

• Kenya 2017: the interim election
  
  Willis, J., Cheeseman, N., & Lynch, G. (2017). Kenya 2017: the interim election.
• Islam, politics and violence on the Kenya coast
  
  Willis, J., & Mwakimako, H. (2014). Islam, politics and violence on the Kenya coast. Note 4, Observatoire des Enjeux Politiques et Sécuritaires dans la Corne de l’Afrique.