"The original meaning of imperialism was a simple one: 'imperial government,' that is, empire in the classical sense (such as existed in ancient Rome, China, and Greece). In more recent times, imperialism has become synonymous with western hegemony in Africa and Asia from the 18th through the 20th centuries and with the spreading cultural influence of the United States" (Webster 2021). The aim of this thesis is to explore whether imperialism can be applied to China's foreign policy agenda through the apparatus of infrastructure. Using Kenya as a case study, it will assess how development, aid conditionality and employment play key roles in China's foreign policy model in Africa. The thesis will assess the role that China has in Kenya's development and adds to a growing field of literature that analyses the role of the Belt and Road Initiative in tackling the infrastructure deficit prevalent in Africa. It will conclude by identifying that gap that exists in China's infrastructure model and that imperialism is not an accurate definition of China's foreign policy agenda. / Master of Arts / China is rising as one of the leading powers in the international system and therefore it is important to contextualise its role in the world. China is often viewed by western powers as an adversary and a state that should be recognised as a threat. Infrastructure is an important part of any states' economy and has a significant impact on economic development. This thesis intends to assess China's role in funding infrastructure and development projects in developing nations particularly across Africa, and specifically focus on Kenya as a case study to look at China's role and assess what kind of foreign policy is being pursued. By using the theory of imperialism, this thesis will analyse initiatives being pursued by China and why labelling it with the term imperial is not an accurate representation of its foreign policy agenda.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/104062 |
| Date | 29 June 2021 |
| Creators | Common, Kaitlin Rebekah |
| Contributors | Political Science, Gill, Bikrum Singh, Poets, Desirée, Dixit, Priya |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | ETD, application/pdf |
| Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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