Robin Phol's PhD thesis book aims to provide an in-depth anthropological account of transboundary actors in Rwanda. The aim of the book is to contribute to the literature on globalisation and transboundary interactions, coining the term ‘transboundary cooperation’ to describe relationships between the ‘local’ and ‘boundary-crossing’ actors in the private sector, government and development agencies. It is an investigation of instances where ‘the global’ meets ‘the local’, that are the essence of globalisation, but often less studied from this angle, particularly in Africa. Seven case studies are delved into and are well integrated into anthropology and transboundary theory. Dissecting these elements of globalisation in a developing country context, and through detailed case studies, is the key interest-point of the book. Of added significance is the contribution of the thesis to the Rwandan-focused Africanist literature. Providing detailed cases of the workings of a variety of private-sector initiatives and development aid projects adds to the recent political economy literature about Rwanda (cf. Goodfellow & Behuria Reference Goodfellow and Behuria2016) and is important given the centrality of international actors to the country's post-genocide success story.
The seven case studies interrogate the workings of development agencies, government secondment programmes and notably, the private sector, including multinational business, an Indian diaspora businessman and Rwandan-focused transnational businesses. Particular attention is given to the energy sector, complementing recent literature (cf. Dye Reference Dye2016), with the ministerial department, the energy utility and a micro-hydro PPP programme investigated. The thesis then categorises these transboundary cooperations in an attempt to analyse their substance, considering factors like their responsiveness to Rwandan agendas, transfer of knowledge and engagement with local contexts.
The complexity of the projects becomes apparent, as do the divergences between transboundary and Rwandan actors’ agendas. For instance, one development programme had to bend with the realities of working in the Rwandan government rather than stick to the on-paper agenda. Other cases show how cooperation projects responded to such complexity by operating in enclaves that isolate the transboundary actors and attempt to exclusively impose their priorities. In contrast, the private sector examples appeared best adapted to the realities of Rwanda ‘on the ground’ and involved more knowledge transfer.
The book could have benefited from relating such aid industry insights to the development studies literature that has reported similar findings. Another notable absence was any Rwandan-ist literature. This was somewhat problematic as the significant role played by the Rwandan state in development and private sector activities was overlooked, and the Rwandan elite described in the cases was left un-contextualised. The thesis’ analysis could also have made an interesting contribution to the lively academic debate over the country. Additionally, Rwandan-ist literature could have helped to update the book's substance, primarily drawn from 2006–2007 fieldwork. Moreover, reference to the Rwandan-focused literature would have provided opportunities to appreciate the country's exceptionality. Rather, the book's discussion labels the context as ‘African’ with the categories of ‘Africa’ and the ‘West’ problematically left unpicked.
This book is therefore more useful to those seeking detailed cases of the anthropology of globalisation.
