Global Britain and Neo-colonialism in Africa: Brexit, 'Development' and Coloniality (1st ed. 2023)

By: Mark Langan

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Synopsis: This book examines the implications of Brexit for Africa-UK relations amid a ‘new scramble’ for the continent. Engaging Nkrumah on neo-colonialism and recent scholarship on global coloniality, Langan here underscores concerns that Brexit was fuelled by an imperial romanticism that now gives rise to a Global Britain project involving the perpetration of ‘Empire 2.0’ in Africa. In this context, he examines UK elites’ pursuit of Brexit trade deals and the ‘development’ consequences of premature market opening. Throughout its chapters, this work assesses strategic usages of UK aid monies in terms of economic leverage and the externalisation of migration and highlights the impact of UK development finance and corporate activities for the health and wellbeing of workers and host communities. Significantly, Langan explores the UK’s pursuit of security interests and human rights criticisms and concludes by highlighting African agency to resist the Global Britain project amid the fragility of the British state itself.