Prof Kevin Behrens

Kevin Behrens is a South African bioethicist whose scholarship bridges clinical ethics, public health ethics, and African moral philosophy. His work is closely associated with leading South African institutions and reflects sustained engagement with regional and global bioethical debates. He is widely recognized for advancing an African relational perspective within mainstream bioethics.

A central theme in his research is the development of African Relational Environmentalism and a relational account of personhood, challenging individualistic interpretations of autonomy. His publications critically reassess principles such as respect for autonomy, defend context-sensitive approaches to intersex surgery and assisted dying, and promote the integration of African moral thought into bioethics curricula.

Recent work expands bioethics to encompass war as a public health crisis, proposing principled frameworks grounded in health justice and accountability. Contributions to pandemic triage ethics and governance of health research materials in South Africa further demonstrate expertise in policy-relevant ethics, public health emergencies, and the protection of vulnerable communities.