For the last three decades, Uganda has been one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. Globally praised as an "African success story" and heavily backed by international financial institutions, development agencies, and bilateral donors, the country has become an exemplar of economic and political reform for those who espouse a neoliberal model of development. The neoliberal policies and the resulting restructuring of the country have been accompanied by narratives of progress, prosperity, and modernization and justified in the name of development.
But this self-celebratory narrative, which is critiqued by many in Uganda, masks the disruptive social impact of these reforms and silences the complex and persistent crises resulting from neoliberal transformation. Bringing together a range of leading scholars on the country, this collection represents a timely contribution to the debate around the "New Uganda," one which confronts the often sanitized and largely depoliticized accounts of the Museveni government and its proponents.
Harnessing a wealth of empirical materials, the contributors offer a critical, multi-disciplinary analysis of the unprecedented political, socio-economic, cultural, and ecological transformations brought about by neoliberal capitalist restructuring since the 1980s. The result is the most comprehensive collective study to date of a neoliberal market society in contemporary Africa, offering crucial insights for other countries in the Global South.
Industry Reviews
This collection of essays is a commendable effort in achieving its objective of determining by whom, why, how and to what effect Uganda was transformed since 1986. * The Elephant *
A timely and provocative book. This book fills a huge gap. It is an extremely timely intervention in the debate about the history, trajectory, explanations of the state in which Uganda is at the moment. * A Review of African Political Economy *
Bringing together an exceptionally strong group of contributors, this volume provides a fresh perspective on the political economy of development in a critically important African country. Indispensable. * Alfredo Saad-Filho, SOAS University of London *
A long-overdue and timely study of neoliberalism in Uganda and the resulting political, economic and social order under Museveni. Theories and statistics rub against lived reality to reveal a country at a crossroads. * Daniel Kalinaki, Nation Media Group *
Provides an insight into how a country can grow "at the top" while the citizens at the bottom continue to experience abject poverty. It is a great lesson on how neoliberal reforms can fail to resolve core socioeconomic problems. * Fred K. Muhumuza, Makerere University *
A definitive contribution both to our understanding of Uganda's contemporary development and the mapping of actually existing neoliberalism. It is within the subject matter of this book that Uganda's future prospects will be contested. * Graham Harrison, University of Sheffield *
The essays in this book pierce the veil of the "neo-liberal success story" that is contemporary Uganda under Museveni. Activist scholars are encouraged to read these essays closely. * Issa Shivji, Director, Nyerere Resource Centre, Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology *
Convincingly demonstrates that Uganda's three decades flirtation with neoliberalism has had far-reaching consequences - from the environment, to religion and even the performing arts. A provocative account of a phenomenon that has had a much wider impact than previously assumed. * J. Oloka-Onyango, Makerere University *
The contributors to this excellent book highlight the diverse impacts of neoliberalism on the lived experiences of Ugandans since 1986, revealing how it has insinuated itself into every part of society. It's rare to find such in-depth analyses. * Kean Birch, York University (Canada) *
This extensive and well-researched collection examines Uganda as a compelling case study of the scope and effects of the neoliberal economic policies that have come to define global capitalism over the past three decades. * Lydia Boyd, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill *
The most comprehensive and nuanced critique, so far, of how the neoliberal posture has impacted Uganda over the past three decades. An invaluable and urgently needed addition to the literature on the political economy of Uganda. * Moses Khisa, North Carolina State University *
An exemplary collection of essays. It packs an enormous punch of analytical heft in critiquing capitalist political economy in Uganda, and raises the bar as to how critical African studies can and should be assembled. A must read! * Raymond Bush, Leeds University *
The New Uganda presents a paradox. On the one hand, it is a tale of success and liberal modernization; on the other, one of an increasingly repressive and violent regime. In disentangling this paradox, not much escapes this volume's piercing analysis. * Sverker Finnstroem, Uppsala University *
This scholarly and well researched book is a must read for all Ugandans and Africans. It exposes the fraud behind the neoliberal ideology that has confused policy making in Uganda. * Yash Tandon, author of Trade is War: The West's War against the World *
More broadly, the work will be an invaluable source for those seeking to engage with Uganda for the first time or seeking to understand how specific social, economic and political processes play out in different contexts in Uganda. The concise chapters would also provide excellent reading for both undergraduate and postgraduate students in development studies. * Progress in Development Studies *
