Enclaves of Exception: Special Economic Zones and Extractive Practices in Nigeria

Enclaves of Exception offers a new approach to exploring the relationship between oil and technologies of extraction and their interrelatedness to local livelihoods and environmental practices, focusing on the special economic zones resulting from China's trading partnership with Nigeria. It argues that even though the exploitation of oil resources is dominated by big corporations, it establishes opportunities for many former Nigerian insurgents and their local communities to contest the ownership of such resources and extract oil themselves and sell it.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 252 pages
Publication date: 10 May 2022
Publisher: Indiana University Press

Focusing on the unique economic zones created by China's trading partnership with Nigeria, Enclaves of Exception offers a fresh perspective on examining the intricate relationship between oil, extraction technologies, and local livelihoods, as well as their interconnectedness with environmental practices. In this groundbreaking work, Omolade Adunbi contends that, despite the dominance of large corporations in oil exploitation, it creates avenues for former Nigerian insurgents and their local communities to challenge the ownership of these resources in the oil-rich Niger Delta and engage in oil extraction and sales themselves.

Based on extensive ethnographic fieldwork, Enclaves of Exception vividly demonstrates that, while both the free trade zones and the rapidly flourishing local artisanal refineries share the objectives of profit-making and receive enthusiastic support from those who benefit economically from them, they have resulted in remarkably similar environmental outcomes for communities surrounding them. These outcomes include pollution with precarious effects on the health of the populations in the regions, as well as the displacement of populations from their livelihood practices.

By delving into the specific case of the economic zones in Nigeria, Enclaves of Exception sheds light on the complex dynamics and unintended consequences of oil-based economies. It underscores the need for a more nuanced understanding of the multifaceted impacts of resource extraction on local communities and the environment. The book offers valuable insights into the ways in which economic development, technological advancements, and power relations intersect, shaping the outcomes of resource exploitation in different contexts.

Enclaves of Exception is a valuable contribution to the field of development studies, economics, and environmental studies. It provides a rich and nuanced analysis of the complex relationships between oil, extraction technologies, and local livelihoods, offering a fresh perspective on understanding the challenges and opportunities associated with resource extraction in developing countries. The book will be of interest to scholars, researchers, policymakers, and anyone concerned with the social and environmental consequences of economic development.

Weight: 390g
Dimension: 153 x 227 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780253059574