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Accepted Paper:
Building to stay: Chinese entrepreneurs, real estate, and aspiration in Nairobi
Elisa Tamburo
(Harvard University)
Paper short abstract:
While Chinese state investments in Kenya are decreasing after its national election in 2022, new waves of private Chinese entrepreneurs are venturing in the construction sector in Nairobi. The paper shows ethnographically how geopolitics can impact personal life trajectories.
Paper long abstract:
While Chinese state investments in Kenya are slowly decreasing after its national election in 2022, new waves of private Chinese entrepreneurs are venturing in the construction sector in Nairobi. They look for new economic opportunities away from China's saturated job market, work pressure, as well as a real estate sector in crisis. Some of these businessmen come to Kenya to settle down.
Through their personal biographies, the paper focuses on private entrepreneurs' aspirations for the future. Via an ethnography of work, socialisation, and family life, their hopes and expectations emerge. The paper shows how the scale of geopolitics and economics can impact individual choices and personal life trajectories.