Gail Presbey, professor of Philosophy, published a book titled The Life and Thought of H. Odera Oruka: Pursuing Justice in Africa (Bloomsbury Press 2003) which is included in the Bloomsbury Studies in World Philosophy series. The book, reflects Presbey’s research and reflections on this Kenyan philosopher whom she got to know in the 1990s when she went to Kenya to participate in his Sage Philosophy research project. The book covers Oruka’s intellectual development in Kenya, Uppsala, Sweden, and Detroit when Oruka studied for his master’s in Philosophy at Wayne State University. It also covers Oruka’s dedication to justice issues such as his criticisms of prisons and punishment, defense of the environment, attention toward resolving the global rich-poor gap and concerns over racism, sexism and Eurocentrism.
In September 2023, Presbey traveled to University of Hildesheim in Germany, where she launched the book at a philosophy conference hosted by the Reinhart Koselleck-Project “Histories of Philosophy in a Global Perspective.“ At the same conference, Kai Kresse and Oriare Nyarwath’s co-edited volume titled Rethinking African Sage Philosophy: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on and Beyond H. Odera Oruka, including a chapter titled “Wisdom from Women in Africa” and two interviews by presbey was launched. View photos of the book launch.