Geography

The Impact of China and South Africa in urban Africa

Document Type

Book Chapter

Abstract

This chapter examines how BRICS-led geo-governance is influencing urban forms and functions in sub-Saharan Africa. Drawing on recent field research on production and consumption activities/regimes in Zambia and Tanzania, we demonstrate the ways in which two BRICS countries (China, South Africa) transform the character and function of Africa’s urban industries and consumer markets. The scale and scope of these transformations are manifested in a new phase of urbanization, one characterized by a dual-fold dynamic of extraversion and intraversion as the business-as-usual exploitation of commodity exports by BRICS-led investment is coupled with a flood of imports of BRICS-produced luxury and wage goods. The result is African cities are unable to create urbanization or localization economies that might spur distributive forms of growth and economic development.

Publication Title

Foreign Capital Flows and Economic Development in Africa: The Impact of BRICS versus OECD

Publication Date

2017

First Page

29

Last Page

49

ISBN

9781137534965,9781137534958

DOI

10.1057/978-1-137-53496-5_2

Keywords

China, South Africa, economic development, BRIC

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS