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Accepted Paper:
Pumwani as a historic site of arrival: infrastructures of care in Nairobi
Leslie Fesenmyer
(University of Birmingham)
Through the lens of 'people as infrastructure' (Simone 2004), this paper considers dynamics between recent arrivals and long-term residents in a historic site of arrival, Pumwani, Nairobi, with the aim of reflecting on infrastructures of care and belonging beyond the notion of 'integration'.
Paper long abstract:
Arrival cities are often presumed to be global ones in northern countries. Here, I focus on Nairobi, specifically Pumwani, the first residential estate established for Africans during the colonial era. Pumwani is perhaps the only place where residents identify as being from Nairobi; at the same time, it is a place where many stay temporarily. With its mix of religion, ethnicity, nationality, and legal status, Pumwani's population is 'super-diverse'. Drawing on ongoing fieldwork, I focus on two interlocutors -- a recent arrival and a long-term resident -- whose experiences reveal overlapping spheres of belonging and care rooted in kinship, shared residence, and religion. At once resilient and fragile, these networks highlight how 'people as infrastructure' (Simone 2004) engage with disruptive conditions, including displacement following local development initiatives, the violence of (inter-)national security operations, and material deprivation, alongside which residents are raising their children and aspiring to futures different from the present. In doing so, I reflect on infrastructures of care and belonging beyond the notion of 'integration' in Nairobi, Kenya.