Global Britain and Neo-colonialism in Africa: Brexit, 'Development' and Coloniality (Contemporary African Political Economy)

This book examines the implications of Brexit for Africa-UK relations amid a ‘new scramble’ for the continent. Engaging Nkrumah on neo-colonialism and recent scholarship on global coloniality, Langan here underscores concerns that Brexit was fuelled by an imperial romanticism that now gives rise to a Global Britain project involving the perpetration of ‘Empire 2.0’ in Africa. In this context, he examines UK elites’ pursuit of Brexit trade deals and the ‘development’ consequences of premature market opening. Throughout its chapters, this work assesses strategic usages of UK aid monies in terms of economic leverage and the externalisation of migration and highlights the impact of UK development finance and corporate activities for the health and wellbeing of workers and host communities. Significantly, Langan explores the UK’s pursuit of security interests and human rights criticisms and concludes by highlighting African agency to resist the Global Britain project amid the fragility of the British state itself. Acknowledgements Contents Acronyms 1 Global Britain and ‘Empire 2.0’ in Africa: Critical Perspectives on UK Imperial Impulses Introduction Brexit and Imperial Impulses at the Heart of ‘Global Britain’ Nkrumah, Neo-Colonialism and Global Coloniality Nkrumah’s Political Speeches and the Interrogation of Neo-Colonialism Conclusion Bibliography 2 Africa and the Commonwealth: UK Imperial Imaginaries Introduction British Officials and Conceptions of the Commonwealth in the Post-War Era A Renewed Commitment to the African Commonwealth? From Blair to Brexit The Brexit Referendum and Discourse on Africa and the Commonwealth The Global Britain Project and ‘Development’ in Commonwealth Africa Conclusion Bibliography 3 Global Britain and Africa-UK Trade Relations Introduction EU Free Trade Agendas in Africa: Assessing EPAs and EBA/GSP Global Britain and Pledges to Pro-Poor Trade with African Countries Global Britain and Trade Deals in Africa After EU Withdrawal Neo-colonial Trajectories for Global Britain’s Trade with Africa? Conclusion Bibliography 4 Global Britain and UK Aid Policy Towards Africa Introduction From Blair to Brexit: A ‘Humanitarian’ Phase in UK Aid Policy? Brexiteer Populism and Aid Fatigue in the UK Context A ‘Realist’ or ‘Nationalist’ Turn in UK Aid After Brexit? Global Britain, Aid and Global Coloniality Conclusion Bibliography 5 Global Britain and Development Finance in Africa Introduction The Financialisation of Development and the Wall Street Consensus UK Development Finance and CDC Prior to the 2016 Referendum Global Britain and British International Investment (BII) British Development Finance and Neo-Colonialism in Africa Conclusion Bibliography 6 UK Corporate Interests and Neo-colonialism in Africa Introduction Private Sector Development and Poverty Reduction in Africa: From Blair to Cameron The ‘New Scramble’ for Africa: Brexit and PSD UK Corporations for ‘Development’? Oil, Minerals and Land Global Britain, UK Corporations and Neo-colonialism in Africa Conclusion Bibliography 7 UK Security Interests and Neo-colonialism in Africa Introduction UK Security Interests in Africa: From Blair to Cameron The Brexit Referendum and the Securitisation of Migration British Security Interests in Africa Since the Referendum British Security Interventions and Neo-colonialism in Africa Conclusion Bibliography 8 Contesting Global Britain: Considering African Agency Introduction Global Britain as an Expression of UK Elites’ Ontological (In)Security Contesting Global Britain: Material and Ideational Forms of Resistance Nkrumah, Neo-colonialism and the Decolonial School Conclusion Bibliography Index