Two kinds of time: the Chinese–Kenyan infrastructure disconnect

Arielle S. Emmett

Chapter 7 in Technological Leapfrogging and Innovation in Africa, 2023, pp 136-154 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Technological leapfrogging cannot be assessed in isolation from local context in Kenya, a nation known for its eye-catching infrastructure, tech start-ups, and prodigious reputation for government borrowing and graft. In this chapter we argue that technological leapfrogging facilitated by Chinese investment must be viewed as both a prime mover and distraction from Kenya’s urgent need for social justice and economic reform. This chapter uses qualitative interviews with a range of Kenyans and Chinese to describe the impact of two infrastructure projects conceived as “game changers” - the Standard Gauge Railway and the LAPSSET Corridor originating in Lamu on Kenya’s south-east coast. We show, using data collected during 2018-2019, how Kenyans and Chinese assess the benefits and negatives of these infrastructure projects based on labor impacts, divergent perceptions of time, time management, and investment payback. The chapter’s narrative structure uses explanatory subthemes, interweaving literature with interviews. We conclude with key questions regarding the future transformation of life for Kenyan citizens.

Keywords: Business and Management; Development Studies; Economics and Finance; Innovations and Technology; Politics and Public Policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.elgaronline.com/doi/10.4337/9781800370395.00015 (application/pdf)
Our link check indicates that this URL is bad, the error code is: 503 Service Temporarily Unavailable

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:elg:eechap:19935_7

Ordering information: This item can be ordered from
http://www.e-elgar.com

Access Statistics for this chapter

More chapters in Chapters from Edward Elgar Publishing
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Darrel McCalla ().