90450 - CHINA IN AFRICA

Conoscenze e abilità da conseguire

Con un approccio interdisciplinare che unisce gli studi sulle migrazioni e sul lavoro, il corso si propone di esplorare il tema della presenza cinese in Africa e della presenza africana in Cina. Alla fine del corso lo studente sarà in grado di capire e analizzare criticamente le diverse strategie e le diverse forme di agency africana e cinese. Gli studenti apprenderanno inoltre come analizzare criticamente materiali visuali.

Contenuti

Chinese in Africa and Africans in China

The relationship between China and African countries is at the center of heated debates with Chinese investments, infrastructure construction, job creation and raw material appropriation in Africa often portrayed in binary terms: China is either pitched as a predator and the new imperialist power in Africa, or else celebrated as a friend offering to the African counterpart a ‘win-win cooperation’.

Making also use of images and videos, the course will offer a nuanced discussion of the many facets of the Chinese presence in Africa, presenting the distinctive features of Chinese capital and pointing at the crucial role played by the Chinese state, Chinese provincial governments, and Chinese large and small firms in the context of a specific Chinese form of globalization.

At the same time, the course will delve into the issue of African agency by discussing different forms of agency enacted by the states, their elites and the populace in relation to the Chinese presence and activism on the African continent.

The cases of Zambia, Ethiopia, Mozambique and other African countries will be used to discuss claims of ‘Chinese exceptionalism’ in labour relations and issues of land grabbing.

Finally, the course will deal with the growing presence of African small entrepreneurs and traders in China, discussing the opportunities and constraints they face and their perceptions of China in the context of China’s evolving narratives on Africa.

Besides, the course also offers an introduction to visual sociology as a tool that enables the students to elaborate sociological interpretations of the audio and video materials proposed by the instructor.

Testi/Bibliografia

1. VISUAL SOCIOLOGY

T. Ferguson, T. 2013, 'Using Visual methods in Social Science Research' in Social Research Methods, Oxford University Press: Melbourne. (STUDENT PRESENTATION POSTPONED?)

2. INTERSECTIONALITY AND RACISM IN AFRICA-CHINA ENCOUNTERS

√ Tu Huynh and Yoon Jung Park (2019) ‘Reflections on the role of race in China-Africa relations, in New Directions in Africa-China Studies (edited by Chris Alden and Daniel Large), Routledge, pp. 158-172.

√ Compilation: the racist laundry (STUDENT PRESENTATION)

√ Baseva, Anti-African sentiments in China is alarming, 2019, 3pp.

VIDEOS

√ Storyville - When China met Africa

√ The Qiaobi ad, + Coloreria italiana: What Women Want + Coloreria italiana Colored is Better

√ China CCTV Lunar New Year TV Gala showcases ‘Racist Blackface’ African Sketch

3. CHINA IN AFRICA

√ Chika Ezeanya, Tragedy of the new AU headquarters, 2012, 2 pp.

√ David H. Shinn, China’s Economic Impact on Africa, 2019

√ Mzukisi Qobo and Garth le Pere, ‘Between resource extraction and industrializing Africa’, in in New Directions in Africa-China Studies (edited by Chris Alden and Daniel Large), A Routledge, pp. 260-278.

√ Helge Rønning, ‘Belt and Road: Power and communication, 2019, 3 pp

√ Giacomo Zandolini, ‘A united Africa may give China its moment to shine’, 2019

√ Bright Simons, Africa’s unsung ‘industrial revolution’ 2019, 2 pp.

VIDEOS

√ Empire, the new scramble for Africa

√ Talk Africa, Industrializing Africa, 25 min (CCTV News)

4. CHINESE TRADERS AND PRIVATE INVESTORS IN IN AFRICA

√ Ben Lampert and Giles Mohan, ‘A Transformative Presence? Chinese Migrants as Agents of Change in Ghana and Nigeria’ in Chinese and African Entrepreneurs. Social Impacts of Interpersonal Encounters (edited by Karsten Giese and Laurence Marfaing), Brill, 2019, pp. 147- 169.

√ Heidi Østbø Haugen (2018) ‘Petty commodities, serious business: the governance of fashion jewellery chains between China and Ghana’, Global Networks 18/2, pp. 307-325.

VIDEOS:

Ads in Africa

5. LABOR AND MANAGEMENT

√ Chin Kwang Lee (2017) The Specter of Global China. Politics, Labor, and Foreign Investments in Africa, The University of Chicago Press: CHAPTER 3: ‘Labor Bargains: Regimes of Exploitation and Exclusion’, pp. 57-92.

√ Chin Kwang Lee, The Specter of Global China. Politics, Labor, and Foreign Investments in Africa, The University of Chicago Press, 2017,: CHAPTER 4, ‘Managerial Ethos: Collective Ascetism versus Individual Careerism’, pp. 93- 122.

√ Chin Kwang Lee (2017) The Specter of Global China. Politics, Labor, and Foreign Investments in Africa, The University of Chicago Press: CHAPTER 5: ‘Contesting Capital: Aspiration and Capacity from Below’, pp. 123-151.

√ Carlos Oya, 2018, Labour regimes and workplace encounters between China and Africa, SOAS. AC.UK/ IDCEA, 34 pp.

√ Tang Xiaoyang* and Janet Eom, ‘Time Perception and Industrialization: Divergence and Convergence of Work Ethics in Chinese Enterprises in Africa’ The China Quarterly, 2018, pp. 1-21.

√ ‘Ethiopia as apparel makers paradise’ 2017, 2 pp

√ ‘Ethiopia booming business underpaid workers’ 2017, 4 pp

VIDEOS

√ Chinese companies move production to Africa

√ Al Jazeera Ethiopia-China 2018

√ Chinese companies boost Ethiopia manufacturing industries 2018

6. AFRICAN AGENCY

√ Lamido Sanusi, ‘Africa must get real about Chinese ties’, 2013, 2 pp.

√ Ben Lampert and Giles Mohan, ‘Making space for African agency in China-Africa engagements: Ghanaian and Nigerian patrons shaping Chinese enterprise’, 2015.

√ Cobus Van Staden, Chris Alden & Yu-Shan Wu, ‘In the driver’s seat? African Agency and Chinese power at Focac: the AU and the BRI,

√ Ana Cristina Alvez and Sergio Chichava (2019) ‘Neo-partimonialism and extraversion in China’s relations with Angola and Mozambique: is Beijing making a difference?’ in New Directions in Africa-China Studies (edited by Chris Alden and Daniel Large), Routledge.

√ Maddalena Procopio (2019) ‘Kenyan agency in Kenya-China relations: Contestation, cooperation, Passivity’ in New Directions in Africa-China Studies (edited by Chris Alden and Daniel Large), Routledge,2019, pp. 173-188.

√ Folashadé Soulé-Kohndou, Passive agents? Bureaucratic agency in Africa-China negotiations:A case study of Benin, 2016.

√ P´adraig Carmody & Peter Kragelund, Who is in Charge? State Power and Agency in Sino-African Relations, 2016.

7. DEVELOPMENT AID

√ Robert Wyrod, ‘In the General’s Valley. China, Africa, and the Limits of Developmental Pragmatism’ 2019.

8. CHINESE MEDIA IN AFRICA

√ Wasserman and Madrid-Morales, “How Influential Are Chinese Media in Africa?’, 2018.

√ Madrid-Morales and Gorfinkel, ‘Narratives of Contemporary Africa on China Global Television Network’s Documentary Series’, 2018.

√ Madrid-Morales, ‘China media presence is growing fast’ 2019 2 pp.

√ Cobus van Staden and Yu-Shan Wu, ‘Media as a site of contestation in China-Africa relations, in New Directions in Africa-China Studies (edited by Chris Alden and Daniel Large), Routledge, 2019, pp. 88-103.

√ Angela Lewis, How a Pay TV Company Is Serving up a Soft Power Win for China in Africa, 2019, 2 pp

VIDEOS

√ China and Africa collaborate in movie making 3 min

√ Advertising: Hip Shalai Tue

9. LAND GRABBING

√ Der Spiegel, ‘Foreign Investors Snap up African Land’ 2009

√ Grieve Chelwa, ‘The land grabs in Africa you don’t hear about’, 2015, 3 pp.

√ Lorenzo Cotula 2013 ‘Land Grabbing in Africa’ 4 pp

√ Lorenzo Cotula, 2016, ‘How investment treaties protect land grab deals’ 3 pp

√ Saskia Sassen ‘Land Grabs Today: Feeding the Disassembling of National Territory’, 2013.

VIDEOS for LAND GRABBING

√ Africa Land Grab: New Century, More Colonizers

√ Land grabbing in Africa: 21 Century colonialism, 35 min

10. AFRICANS IN CHINA

√ T. Tu Huynh, ‘A ‘Wild West’ of trade? African women and men and the gendering of globalisation from below in Guangzhou’, Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power, 2015, pp. 1-20.

√ Heidi Ostbo Haugen, ‘From Pioneers to Professionals: African Brokers in a Chinese Maturing Marketplace’, African Studies Quarterly, 17/4, 2018, pp. 45-62.

VIDEOS

√ Africans in China

√ The Guangzhou Dream Factory 1:05 h

√ African business in China, Witness

√ Some African students narrate their experience studying in China, 3 min

√ African migration from Europe to China, 50 min

11. FURTHER READING

√ David Landry, The risks and rewards of resource-for-infrastructure deals: Lessons from the Congo's Sicomines agreement☆

√ Kwerr Ampiah, ‘Themes and thoughts in Africanists’ discourse about China and Africa, in New Directions in Africa-China Studies (edited by Chris Alden and Daniel Large), Routledge,2019.

√ Chin Kwang Lee The Specter of Global China. Politics, Labor, and Foreign Investments in Africa, The University of Chicago Press: APPENDIX: ‘An Ethnographer’s Odyssey: The Mundane and the Sublime of Researching China in Zambia’ 2017.

√ Derek Sheridan, ‘Chinese peanuts and Chinese Machinga (the use and abuse of a rumor in Dar es Salaam (and ethnographic writings)’ , 2019.

√ Karsten Giese et al., ‘Introduction: form rejection to social change’, in Chinese and African Entrepreneurs. Social Impacts of Interpersonal Encounters (edited by Karsten Giese and Laurence Marfaing), Brill, 2019.

√ Karsten Giese, ‘Business Partners and Employers: Chinese Traders as Facilitator of Grassroots Social Innovation in West Africa’ in Chinese and African Entrepreneurs. Social Impacts of Interpersonal Encounters (edited by Karsten Giese and Laurence Marfaing), Brill, 2019, pp. 124-146.

√ Bonacich et al. ‘The Racialization of Global Labor’, 2008

√ Xiaofang Shen, ‘Private Chinese Investment in Africa: Myths and Realities’, 2015.

√ Christina Wolf & Sam-Kee Cheng, Chinese Overseas Contracted Projects and Economic Diversification in Angola and Ethiopia 2000-2017, 2018.

√ Jennifer Y.J. Hsu, Timothy Hildebrandt and Reza Hasmath, ‘Going Out’ or Staying In? The Expansion of Chinese NGOs in Africa’ 2016.

√ Kelly Si Miao Liang, Grassroots Social Change Triggered by Africa-China Encounters in Urban China’ in Chinese and African Entrepreneurs. Social Impacts of Interpersonal Encounters (edited by Karsten Giese and Laurence Marfaing), Brill, 2019, pp. 103- 123.

√ Paul M. Barrett and Dorothee Baumann-Pauly, Made in Ethiopia: Challenges in the Garment Industry’s New Frontiers, 2019

√ Carlos Oya, Building an industrial workforce in Ethiopia, 2018

√ Andrea Cangialosi et al., Brazil, China, South-Africa: Primitive accumulation, accumulation by dispossession, land-grabbing in a Mozambican case-study, 44 pp.

Metodi didattici

Lectures and discussions in class, including watching and discussing images and videos. Students are strongly encouraged to present in class.

Modalità di verifica e valutazione dell'apprendimento

Students attending classwork will

1. make presentations to the class and stimulate the classroom discussion on one or more papers included in the readings list and other papers agreed with the instructor;
2. write a final paper (3000-4000 words) - agreed with the instructor - on one of the topics addressed in class. A topic not included in the readings list – and the relevant bibliography- can be agreed with the instructor. Student initiative in articulating themes, connecting different texts and visual materials, proposing videoclips or other visual products linked to the topic of the course will be positively evaluated.

Students not attending classwork will take an oral exam on the readings and the videos of the course. Questions will aim at testing the student ability to critically address the proposed issues and build an argument with an appropriate language.

For both students attending and not attending classes, the assessment will take into consideration:

1. Proper knowledge of the subjects
2. Ability to critically analyze and connect concepts, images, and themes
3. Competences in the use of appropriate terminology

Strumenti a supporto della didattica

Readings are complemented with videos and images. Guest lecturers may be invited.

Orario di ricevimento

Consulta il sito web di Antonella Ceccagno