Policing in the developing world

Sounds Strategic

This week, Antonio Sampaio is joined by Ignacio Cano, Alice Hills and Tessa Diphoorn for a wide-ranging discussion on the challenges of policing in the developing world, with a particular focus on Brazil, Kenya and Somalia.

Ignacio, Alice and Tessa each describe the different forms of policing in each country, from extreme militarisation in Rio de Janeiro to sporadic and limited policing in Somalia and Kenya.

However, they all highlight how corruption, limited state capacity and domestic politics impact policing and undermine a state’s willingness and ability to police in vulnerable and marginalised communities.

They also examine how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted policing in recent months, as well as explore some of the positive signs in police reform coming out of Kenya.

Dr Ignacio Cano is a member of the Laboratory of Violence at Rio de Janeiro State University and is currently visiting researcher at the Safety Lab in Cape Town, South Africa.

Dr Alice Hills is Visiting Professor at the University of Leeds focusing on police development in sub-Saharan Africa and Somali security governance.

Dr Tessa Diphoorn is Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Utrecht University in the Netherlands and is currently researching policing in Kenya.

We hope you enjoy listening to the episode. Don’t forget to follow, rate and subscribe to Sounds Strategic on wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Date of recording: 28 August 2020

Sounds Strategic is recorded and produced at the IISS in London.

Theme music: ‘Safety in Numbers’ by We Were Promised Jetpacks

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