Dr. Graham Denyer Willis

Biography

Graham Denyer Willis is an Associate Professor at the Centre of Latin American Studies at the University of Cambridge. His research focuses on political ethnography, specifically examining the practices and assumptions of power and inequality within urban contexts. His work explores informality and the relationships between cities and institutions, addressing both historical and contemporary issues in Brazil. He investigates forms of violence and social organization, emphasizing the impact of capitalism on power dynamics. Graham has authored several notable books, including 'Killing Consensus: Police, Organized Crime, Regulation Life Death Urban Brazil', which analyzes the role of homicide detectives in São Paulo and the intersection of organized crime and state violence. His recent publication, 'Keep Bones Alive: Missing People Search Life Brazil', delves into the phenomenon of disappearance in São Paulo, highlighting the challenges faced by families searching for missing individuals and the political implications of these disappearances. He is particularly interested in supervising PhD students whose research touches on themes of development, violence, and everyday political contestations in Latin America.

Research Interests