Engaging Africa in a changing international political economy: Mauritius’ activism and co-operation in the World Trade Organisation (WTO)

Zhuawu, Collin (2013). Engaging Africa in a changing international political economy: Mauritius’ activism and co-operation in the World Trade Organisation (WTO). University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

My thesis traces and assesses the engagement of Africa in the international political economy through examining Mauritian activism and co-operation in the World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiating and decision-making process. Using the illustrative case study of Mauritius I investigate the increased engagement of Africa in the international political economy beyond the political elite interests and client-patronage relationships. This is done by establishing that those Mauritian elites involved in trade policy-making and activism and co-operation in the WTO are constrained by the process of deliberation and negotiation with other societal actors, ensuring that they act in accordance (to an extent) with the wider societal aspirations/interests (whether intended or otherwise) and act to advance the development of Mauritius’ political economy within international political economy. Using the Strategic Relational Approach (SRA) I explain the centrality of human actors in exercising agency in relationship with both the domestic and international contexts in which they find themselves – contexts which are uneven and which also constrain their activities. This allows me to interrogate the marginalisation and engagement approaches in their explanation of Africa’s position in the international political economy as I highlight their interrelated structural and agential dimensions and in the process provide an alternative lens to explain Mauritius’ domestic policy-making processes and engagement in the international political economy. My adopted alternative approach allows the thesis to develop a more complex understanding of the engagement of African countries in the international political economy than is currently provided by pre-existing literature.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):