The Political Economy of Rwanda's Rise
Key information
- Date
- Time
-
5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
- Venue
- SOAS Senate House (SALT)
- Room
- Alumni Lecture Theatre
- Event type
- Seminar
About this event
Drawing on a decade of research and more than 580 interviews, this innovative political economy case study explores Rwanda's bold attempt to transform its economy after the 1994 genocide into one of the most rapidly growing countries in Africa.
Pritish Behuria offers a multi-sector analysis of how globalisation and domestic politics shape contemporary development challenges. This study critically analyses the Rwandan Patriotic Front's ambitions to reshape Rwanda into a regional services hub while grappling with foreign dependency, elite vulnerability and limited financial resources.
Through extensive analysis of the political economy of multiple sectors and the macro-economy, Behuria uses the Rwandan case as a window into answering why structural transformation remains so elusive on the continent. The Political Economy of Rwanda's Rise provides fresh insights into highlighting the contemporary challenges facing African countries as they integrate into the global economy.
Organisers and registration
This event co-hosted by the Department of Politics and International Studies (Africa cluster), SOAS Global Development Seminar Series, SOAS Centre of African Studies and the Royal African Society.
The event is free to attend, but registration is required.
Image credit: Dieuvain Musaghi via Unsplash
About the speaker
Pritish Behuria is Reader in Politics, Governance and Development and Director of Research at the Global Development Institute, University of Manchester. He is also Visiting Associate Professor at the South African Research Chair in Industrial Development, University of Johannesburg. Previously, he worked at the London School of Economics and Political Science and SOAS. He is author of The Political Economy of Rwanda’s Rise (Cambridge University Press, 2026) and over 25 articles in leading journals. His research examines the political economy of late development under contemporary globalisation, with extensive research experience in Eastern and Southern Africa. He is a Council Member of the Development Studies Association.
Chair
Phil Clark, Professor, Department of Politics and International Studies, SOAS University of London.
Book cover
