Development, (Dual) Citizenship and Its Discontents in Africa: The Political Economy of Belonging to Liberia

Robtel Neajai Pailey's book explores socio-economic change in Liberia through the lens of citizenship, revealing how historical policy changes and public discourse on dual citizenship have impacted development policy and practice. She offers a postcolonial critique of the neoliberal framing of diasporas and donors as the solution to post-war reconstruction.

Format: Hardback
Length: 250 pages
Publication date: 07 January 2021
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Robtel Neajai Pailey delves into the intricate tapestry of socio-economic transformation in Liberia, Africa's pioneering black republic, by drawing upon a wealth of rich oral histories sourced from over two hundred in-depth interviews conducted across West Africa, Europe, and North America. Through the lens of citizenship, she explores the profound shifts that have shaped the country's development trajectory. By examining how historical policy changes on citizenship and contemporary public discourse on dual citizenship have influenced development policy and practice, Pailey unveils the intricate interplay between citizenship, migration, and development. As Liberia transitioned from a nation of immigration to one of emigration, she reveals how the nature of citizenship itself underwent a transformative shift, exerting a profound influence on claims for and against dual citizenship. This thought-provoking contribution to scholarly and policy debates about citizenship as a continuum of inclusion and exclusion, and development as a process of both amelioration and degeneration, emerges as a groundbreaking model for conceptualizing citizenship within the context of crisis-affected states. Moreover, Pailey offers a poignant postcolonial critique of the neoliberal framing of diasporas and donors as the sole solution to post-war reconstruction, challenging the dominant narratives that have shaped the reconstruction efforts in Liberia and beyond.

Weight: 582g
Dimension: 159 x 235 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108836548