O'Reilly, P (2023) African regionalism, economic nationalism and the contested politics of social purpose: The East African Community and the ‘new developmentalism’. Journal of Modern African Studies, 61 (1). pp. 49-71. ISSN 0022-278X

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Abstract

Over the last decade, a new developmentalism has taken root across Africa, centred on promoting local production and industrialisation. One unintended consequence of this has been the proliferation of economically nationalist policy measures that have increasingly come into tension with the aims of regional integration in Africa. This article sets out to offer insights as to why these tensions are emerging by focusing on the East African Community (EAC) and the growing trend of economic nationalism among its members. Contrary to what rationalist and structuralist accounts might presume, this article argues that this rise in economic nationalism is instead reflective of a weakening of the discursive imperative – or social purpose – that had initially converged various actors around the EAC's integration agenda when revived in 2000. While drawing from the EAC's experience, it concludes by highlighting a broader legitimacy dilemma facing African regional organisations within this ‘new developmentalism’.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	regionalism; economic nationalism; East African Community; developmentalism; social purpose; Cultural Studies
Subjects:	J Political Science > JA Political science (General)
Divisions:	Humanities & Social Science
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
SWORD Depositor:	A Symplectic
Date Deposited:	26 Jun 2023 13:24
Last Modified:	26 Jun 2023 13:30
DOI or ID number:	10.1017/S0022278X22000490
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/20070

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