Transactional Culture in Colonial Dakar, 1902-44

Dakar's transformation from a colonial capital to a dynamic city was shaped by its resourceful residents who challenged French control through adaptive economic relationships. Rachel Petrocelli's book explores the concept of transactional culture, where transience was a defining feature, and economic relationships were constantly molded by diverse individuals pursuing their own objectives. Strategies like pawning possessions and taking out credit, creating housing, and mobilizing identities and affiliations emerged as a result, integrating Dakarois of every background. These practices persisted long after French rule ended, underscoring the enduring impact of Dakar's colonial history.

Format: Hardback
Length: 212 pages
Publication date: 18 June 2024
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer Ltd

Dakar, Senegal's capital, has undergone a remarkable transformation from a small colonial capital to a vibrant city. Historian Rachel Petrocelli's book explores how its resourceful residents challenged French control by forging adaptive economic relationships. During the transformative era of the early twentieth century, Dakar evolved from a colonial outpost to a dynamic city shaped by both colonial planners and its inhabitants. Petrocelli introduces the concept of transactional culture, a set of norms and practices that emerged to navigate life under colonial rule. A central element of this culture was transience, which permeated various aspects of life in Dakar, from commerce and employment to housing and interactions with the state. The book uncovers a central dynamic: economic relationships in Dakar were continually molded by the ebb and flow of diverse individuals, each pursuing their own objectives despite the relentless efforts of the French state to exert control. Europeans and Africans embraced adaptability in Dakar over fixed residence, while immigrant communities implanted themselves and became integral to the city's transactional culture. In this examination based on court records and other sources, Petrocelli shows that as the French colonial state sought to shape and control Dakar, it enacted policies to intentionally limit city dwellers' resources. Strategies like pawning possessions and taking out credit, creatively devising housing, and mobilizing identities and affiliations emerged as a result, integrating Dakarois of every background. These practices persisted long after French rule ended, underscoring the resilience and adaptability of Dakar's residents.

Weight: 1g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781648250774