Uganda: The Dynamics of Neoliberal Transformation (Politics and Development in Contemporary Africa)

For the last three decades, Uganda has been one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. Globally praised as an African success story and heavily backed by international financial institutions, development agencies and bilateral donors, the country has become an exemplar of economic and political reform for those who espouse a neoliberal model of development. The neoliberal policies and the resulting restructuring of the country have been accompanied by narratives of progress, prosperity, and modernisation and justified in the name of development. But this self-celebratory narrative, which is critiqued by many in Uganda, masks the disruptive social impact of these reforms and silences the complex and persistent crises resulting from neoliberal transformation. Bringing together a range of leading scholars on the country, this collection represents a timely contribution to the debate around the New Uganda, one which confronts the often sanitised and largely depoliticised accounts of the Museveni government and its proponents. Harnessing a wealth of empirical materials, the contributors offer a critical, multi-disciplinary analysis of the unprecedented political, socio-economic, cultural and ecological transformations brought about by neoliberal capitalist restructuring since the 1980s. The result is the most comprehensive collective study to date of a neoliberal market society in contemporary Africa, offering crucial insights for other countries in the Global South. Introduction: Interpreting Change in Neoliberal Uganda - Joerg Wiegratz, Giuliano Martiniello and Elisa GrecoPart I: The State, Donors and Development Aid1. Donor-Driven State Formation: Friction in the World Bank-Uganda Partnership - Jon Harald Sande Lie2. Our Friends at the Bank? The Adverse Effects of Neoliberalism in Acholi - Ronald R. Atkinson3. Neoliberal Discipline and Violence in Northern Uganda - Adam Branch and Adrian Yen4. 'Movement Legacy' and Neoliberalism as Political Settlement in Uganda's Political Economy - Joshua B. Rubongoya5. More is Less? Decentralisation and Regime Control in Neoliberal Uganda - Kristof Titeca6. Neoliberal Neverland: The Millennium Villages Project in Uganda - Japhy WilsonPart II: Economic Restructuring and Social Services7. The Impact of Neoliberal Reforms on Uganda's Socio-Economic Landscape - Godfrey B. Asiimwe 8. Social Service Provision and Social Security in Uganda: Entrenched Inequality under a Neoliberal regime - Malin J. Nystrand and Gordon Tamm9. Neoliberal Health Reforms and Citizenship in Uganda - Sarah N. SsaliPart III: Extractivism and Enclosures10. Neoliberalism as Ugandan Forestry Discourse - Adrian Nel11. Plantation Forestry and Carbon Violence in Neoliberal Uganda - Kristen Lyons12. Neoliberal Oil Development in Uganda: Centralisation, Accumulation and Exclusion - Laura Smith and James Van Alstine13. Water Grabbing or Sustainable Development? Effects of Aquaculture Growth in Neoliberal Uganda - Karin Wedig14. The Politics of Land Law Reforms in Neoliberal Uganda - Rose NakayiPart IV: Race, Culture and Commoditisation15. African Asians and South Asians in Neoliberal Uganda: Culture, History and Political Economy - Anneeth Kaur Hundle16. Religious Economies: Pentecostal-Charismatic Churches and the Framing of a New Moral Order in Neoliberal Uganda - Barbara Bompani17. Youth as 'Identity Entrepreneurs': Emerging Neoliberal Subjectivities in Uganda - Julia Vorhoelter18. Neoliberal Times: Leisure and Work Among Young Men in Rural Eastern Uganda - Ben Jones19. The Transformation of National Performance Arts in Neoliberal Uganda - David G. PierConclusion: Neoliberalism Institutionalized - Joerg Wiegratz, Giuliano Martiniello and Elisa Greco

For the last three decades, Uganda has been one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. Globally praised as an African success story and heavily backed by international financial institutions, development agencies and bilateral donors, the country has become an exemplar of economic and political reform for those who espouse a neoliberal model of development. The neoliberal policies and the resulting restructuring of the country have been accompanied by narratives of progress, prosperity, and modernisation and justified in the name of development.

But this self-celebratory narrative, which is critiqued by many in Uganda, masks the disruptive social impact of these reforms and silences the complex and persistent crises resulting from neoliberal transformation. Bringing together a range of leading scholars on the country, this collection represents a timely contribution to the debate around the New Uganda, one which confronts the often sanitised and largely depoliticised accounts of the Museveni government and its proponents.

Harnessing a wealth of empirical materials, the contributors offer a critical, multi-disciplinary analysis of the unprecedented political, socio-economic, cultural and ecological transformations brought about by neoliberal capitalist restructuring since the 1980s. The result is the most comprehensive collective study to date of a neoliberal market society in contemporary Africa, offering crucial insights for other countries in the Global South.

For the last three decades, Uganda has been one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. Globally praised as an 'African success story' and heavily backed by international financial institutions, development agencies and bilateral donors, the country has become an exemplar of economic and political reform for those who espouse a neoliberal model of development. The neoliberal policies and the resulting restructuring of the country have been accompanied by narratives of progress, prosperity, and modernisation and justified in the name of development. But this self-celebratory narrative, which is critiqued by many in Uganda, masks the disruptive social impact of these reforms and silences the complex and persistent crises resulting from neoliberal transformations. Bringing together a range of leading scholars on the country, this collection represents a timely contribution to the debate around the 'New Uganda', one which confronts the often sanitized and largely depoliticized accounts of the Museveni government and its proponents. Harnessing a wealth of empirical materials, the contributors offer a critical, multi-disciplinary analysis of the unprecedented political, socio-economic, cultural and ecological transformations brought about by neoliberal capitalist restructuring since the 1980s. The result is the most comprehensive collective study to date of a neoliberal market society in contemporary Africa, offering crucial insights for other countries in the global South. For the last three decades, Uganda has been one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. Globally praised as an `African success story' and heavily backed by international financial institutions, development agencies and bilateral donors, the country has become an exemplar of economic and political reform for those who espouse a neoliberal model of development. The neoliberal policies and the resulting restructuring of the country have been accompanied by narratives of progress, prosperity, and modernisation and justified in the name of development.0But this self-celebratory narrative, which is critiqued by many in Uganda, masks the disruptive social impact of these reforms and silences the complex and persistent crises resulting from neoliberal transformations. Bringing together a range of leading scholars on the country, this collection represents a timely contribution to the debate around the `New Uganda', one which confronts the often sanitized and largely depoliticized accounts of the Museveni government and its proponents.0Harnessing a wealth of empirical materials, the contributors offer a critical, multi-disciplinary analysis of the unprecedented political, socio-economic, cultural and ecological transformations brought about by neoliberal capitalist restructuring since the 1980s. The result is the most comprehensive collective study to date of a neoliberal market society in contemporary Africa, offering crucial insights for other countries in the global South For the last three decades, Uganda has been one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. Globally praised as an Àfrican success story' and heavily backed by international financial institutions, development agencies and bilateral donors, the country has become an exemplar of economic and political reform for those who espouse a neoliberal model of development. The neoliberal policies and the resulting restructuring of the country have been accompanied by narratives of progress, prosperity, and modernisation and justified in the name of development.0But this self-celebratory narrative, which is critiqued by many in Uganda, masks the disruptive social impact of these reforms and silences the complex and persistent crises resulting from neoliberal transformations. Bringing together a range of leading scholars on the country, this collection represents a timely contribution to the debate around the Ǹew Uganda', one which confronts the often sanitized and largely depoliticized accounts of the Museveni government and its proponents.0Harnessing a wealth of empirical materials, the contributors offer a critical, multi-disciplinary analysis of the unprecedented political, socio-economic, cultural and ecological transformations brought about by neoliberal capitalist restructuring since the 1980s. The result is the most comprehensive collective study to date of a neoliberal market society in contemporary Africa, offering crucial insights for other countries in the global South An exploration of the making and operation of the New Uganda, providing a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary account of one of Africa’s most contentious capitalist market societies.