kinshasa tales of an invsible city

7/31/2019 Kinshasa Tales of an Invsible City

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23African Cities Reader

Urbanism beyond Architecture:African Cities as Infrastructure

Vyjayanthi Rao,

in conversation with Filip de Boeck & Abdou Maliq Simone

In Kinshasa: Tales of the Invisible City, Filip de Boeck writes:

Inspiteofthefactthatananalysisofthedifferentphysical

sitesthroughwhichthecityexistsandinventsitselfhelpsus

to better understand the specic ways in which the materiality of

theinfrastructuregeneratesparticularsetsofrelationsinthe

city, I would submit that in the end, in a city like Kinshasa,

it is not, or not primarily, the material infrastructure or the

built form that makes the city a city. The city, in a way, exists

beyond its architecture . . . the infrastructure and architecture

that function best in Kinshasa are almost totally invisible on a

material level. 1

Thisunderstandingothecity,expressedsosuccinctlybydeBoeck,issharedbyallthreeous.Butasanthropologistsspeakingtoarchitects,wearealsoconcernedwithexploringtherelationbetweenvisibilityandinvisibilityandwiththenetworksoconcretebecoming, 2asSimoneputsit,atonceengagingandgoingbeyondthearticeomaterialinrastructureandphysicalsite.Builtormmaybe,asdeBoeckstates,producedrandomlyinhumansitesaslivingspace. 3Asurbanstudieshavetakenasouthernturn, 4withanincreasingnumberoworksinmainstreamurbanstudiesocusingoncitiesotheglobalsouth,thiscontrastbetweenbuiltormandlivingspaceisindeedcritical.Butequallycentral,itseems,arequestionsoglobalscaleandthepossiblepoliticalandspatialde-scriptionsoparticularcities,especiallythesecitiesothesouthernhemisphere,attheglobalscale.

Forthis conversation,we take as ourpointodeparturethemultiple uses derivingromtheLatinrootcapitalis(chie,principal,inthesenseosovereignpower),whichisboth

1deBoeck,FilipKinshasa: Tales o the Invisible City (Ghent-Amsterdam:Ludion,2004),pp.233-235

2 Simone,AbdouMaliqTheVisibleandInvisible:RemakingCitiesinArica,in Under Siege: Four Arican Cities: Freetown, Johannesburg,Kinshasa, Lagos: Documenta11_Platorm4,p.24

3 deBoeck,Kinshasa: Tales o the Invisible City(Ghent-Amsterdam:Ludion,2004),p.233

4 Rao,VyjayanthiSlumasTheoryinInternational Journal o Urban and Regional Research,Vol.30(1),2006.


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Urbanism beyond Architecture: African Cities as Infrastructure

Vyjayanthi Rao, in conversation with Filip de Boeck & Abdou Maliq Simone

therootocapitalaswellasocapitellum,meaningsmallhead,orthetopothecolumninthearchitecturalsense. 5Byjuxtaposingthesemultipleuses,weenterintoacontradiction:wearespeakingbothaboutthesenseoavanguardandoxing,othatwhichtopsoandshowsothesolidityothearchitectureaswellasthatwhichcirculatesandcontrolstheexpressiono

sovereignpowerinthepoliticalsenseinsoarasitisabletocirculate.

Weareespeciallyconcernedwithwherewecansituatenetworksoconcretebecoming,bothintermsoormsoaccumulationandintermsothepossibilitiesorarticulatingpoliticalpowerinacontinentthatisincreasinglyheldsubjectedtoglobalfowsonancecapital,resourceextractionandmigration.WeoundthatthebestplacetobeginwaswiththetransormationsothephysicalenvironmentoAricancities.WhileSimoneunpacksthedevelopmentsinandaroundDakarandtheirpoliticaleectsonotherSenegalesecities,speculatingonthecausesosuchmassiveinvestmentsinconstruction,deBoeckrefectsontheintensicationo urbanitywithout architecturethroughoutCongo,inpartasaresultothediamondtrade.TherelationshipbetweenwhatdeBoeckcallstheejaculationowealthandtheaccentuationonon-investmentinthephysicalspaceoKinshasaiscontrasted,orexample,withtheimaginaryurbanplanning

encouragedbythevariouschurchesthathavegainedenormouspopularappealintheCongo.Canaconventionalunderstandingoarchitecturesustaintheweightothisimaginaryplanning?Canonethinkothecityoutsideomaterial ormso representationandaspirationsuchasthoseoarchitecture?ThesequestionsalsomotivatedeBoecksexplorationsoKinshasaatthe2004VeniceArchitectureBiennaleandhismorerecentexhibition, Kinshasa, The ImaginaryCity,inJohannesburg(2006).

Non-investment in material terms might also be linked to a return othecolonialcomptoir economy, theeconomyo thetradingpostand thegenerativityocertainkindsourban perormance. These perormances center around the hunters landscape, in whichcapitalworksonlythroughitsincessantexpenditureandcirculationratherthanthroughalogicoaccumulationandmaximizationoprot.Itworks,inotherwords,throughthecreationo

socialnetworksthatmakeinvestmentsworkortheurbanhunter.Inthislandscape,colonialhistoriesseemtoendureinasmuchasthecitycontinuestobeseenasasiteoexclusionbythevastmajorityothepeoplewhodevelopedKinshasaoutsideitscolonialboundaries.Itisthereoreaplacewhereeverythingthatcomesromelsewhereromoutsidetheludicspacesosocialnetworksinormationisthoughtoasbeingtheretoberippedo.

Thus,theconcentrationopoliticalpowerintherealmothecapitalcityischallengedbyitscirculationinand throughdiverse spacesandamidthosenetworks thatconstitutetheinvisiblearchitectureoconnectionsothecontemporaryAricancity.Thephysicalaspectothecity,especiallyasthesignaloagrowingdensicationandconvergenceotrajectories,has,however,alsobecomecrucial.AhistoryoDakar,romitsoriginsinthe comptoireconomyanditsterritorialincorporationintoFrancethatdeneditsrelationswiththeothercitiesinthe

Senegalesemetropolitansystem,revealsthesenewtrajectories.Thesetrajectoriesareatonceglobal in their reach - controlledbyactors rom theSenegaleseMuridDiaspora aswell astheLebaneseDiaspora-whilealsohavingeectsat thelevelo thenation,expressedintheinvestmentsthatnewactorsromthehinterlandaremakingintothelandscapeoDakar,gainingnewvisibilityortheiractivities.

Weexploreherethesedispersalsocapital(nancialandhuman)andtheirrelationtothesecapitalcities(Dakar,Kinshasa,Khartoum)andinthepeculiarrelationsthatcitieslikeLagoshavetocapitalinbothsenses,economicandpolitical.Inotherwords,wetrytoopenthequestionothelocationocapitalinthisconversation.Insodoing,weattendtootherorms

5 Source:WebsterDictionaryonline.


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oinvisibilityaswell.ForwhathappensinthecourseothecirculationocapitalacrossAricaisthegenerationocapitalandourbanityoutsideoknownorms,outsideothestructuringcontextsoarchitectureandtheplannedinsertionomaterialinrastructure.Thesecitiesareoteninvisibletotheoutsideworld,deBoecksays,becausetheyunctioninwaysthatwe

arenotusedtoseeingandthereoregounnoticed.Thusweacethequestion,whereshouldcapital/thecapitalcitybelocated?byasking,whatisthescene/siteourbanaction?Weacethequestion,whatconduitsoaccessarebeingdevelopedinorderto acilitateinvestment,expansion, accumulation or ejaculation o capital? by asking, what orms o socialcomplexityarebeingexploredinthedevelopmentotheseconduits?Whatsortoetiquetteisbeingdevelopedbyresidentsothesecitiesinthedriveotheirresidentstobecomingvisibleinordertoenablesocialbeing?WeturntosituationsoboundarymaintenanceinAbidjanandinKhartoum,andwealsoturntotheemergentplayoaspirationsthatreachorunder-codedterritories.RecentMalaysianinvestmentsinSenegalesesocialhousinginthenameoanethicalIslamicpracticeaswellasChineseinvestmentinatranscontinentalrailwaysystemrepresentgesturesoanewkindoglobalplay.Inthisconversation,wethinkthesecontradictionsbetweenthematerialandthenon-material,thevisibleandtheinvisible,thepushormaterialinrastructure

inAricaandelsewheretodayandtherelationshipthatthispusharticulatesbetweenpoliticalpowerandcapital,inthesenseothetoppedo,alignedandaccumulatedstashesowealthinitsmultipleorms.

Vyjayanthi Rao


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Capital/City:Imaginary Urban Plans

Vyjayanthi Rao:What are the spatial expressions o capital in contemporary Arica? How

do these expressions relate to expressions o political and subjective power?

AbdouMaliqSimone:Currently,inDakar,youhavetheratherrecentandstillopaqueprojectobuildinganewcapital,orthemomentdesignatedasDubaisurAtlantique,somesixtykilometerstothenorth.PartlythisrefectsthegeneralizationothereinventedlogicotheentreptassociatedwithDubai;partlyitemergesromtheactthatthereexistsakindoconurbationthatleavesDakarandthenbeginstolinkwhatweresomemajorsmallcitieslikeThiesandMbour.Insomewaysyouhavethisresidueoakindocolonialbiurcation.Fityyearsago,Dakarstartedtobecometooovercrowded,becomingtoomuchoathreattocertainkindsoorderandprocesses.DensequartersweredisplacedtoPikineandGuediwaye,andthatinsomeways,culturally,becametherealDakar.Outsideocolonialspecications,theseareasrefectedmanyothetensionsourbanspacesattemptingtoarticulatetemporalandspatialdivergence.Thesame

orFreetown,thesameorConakry,thesameorDakarandtoalimitedextentorAbidjan,youhavecoastalcapitalswhere,geo-morphically,itsquitelimitedinhowtheycangrow.Youhavethiskindoconcentrationintheseverylimitedphysicalspaces.Itbecomesimpossibletonavigate.Thiskindotrajectoryoexpansionthenmakesitquitephysicallydiculttoaccessthecentersopowerandcentersocommerce.So,intermsoPresidentAbdoulayeWadesayingwecannolongerhavetheairportwherewehaveit,wecannolongerhaveministrieswherewehavethem,wehavetorelocate,wehavetobringthemouttomakethemmoreaccessible,torecenter,toreconstitutesomehowthegravitationaleldothecapitalmeansinonesensethisoldreiterationonewgrand,grandworks.Still,theormercenter,Plateau,continuestobeahugebuildingsite.Youstillseetheseimmensekindsoconstructionstakingplacethere.

Filip deBoeck: Itsincredible.Ijustdrovethroughitacoupleoweeksago.Whosemoney

isdrivingthis?


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AMS: Insomesensetheappearanceocontinuousdevelopmentsignalsacertainavailabilityothisareatoinvestmentoallkind,andthispluralityitselcanconstituteaplatormorrealoccupation.Whateverisputupwillintheendbeusedinsomeway.SoresidentsinDakardontusually have thesense that this is something thats being infated. Spacesare beingbought.

Theresamarket.Peoplearebuyingthesethings:ocespace,apartmentspace

VR: In other words, its somehow not virtual?

AMS: Icantsayorsure,buttheresakindopopularunderstandingthattherearerealbuyersorthesethings,realoccupancy.

FdeB: IthinkthatisthedierencewithaplacelikeCongo.ClearlyinSenegalorinDakar,youhaveamiddleclassoruppermiddleclassopeople,merchantswithnancialmeanswhoaredoingtheirowntradeandcommerceandinvestingintheirowncity.InCongo,suchalocalmiddleclassisabsent,andthereare,ocourse,historicalreasonsorthat.Foralongtimethe

wholecountrywasrunbyasmallgroup,apowerelitearoundMobutu.Therewasnomiddlegroundbetweentheverypoorandtheveryrich.

Mobutusdownallcreatedavoidinthatrespect.Thosewithmoneylet.InKinshasa,asaresult,thehousingmarketjustcollapsed.Thosewhoremainedinthecitycouldaordtobuyhousing.Today,realestateisboomingagainasneverbeore,buttheboomisnotcausedprimarilybyCongolese.Thecapitalfowingintothecitycomesthroughex-patsandoreigners.ThelatterotenLebanese-peopleromoutside,whostarttoredevelopthecitybutonlytoacertainandveryminimalextent.

VR: What about the diamond trade in the early 1990s and the kind o wealth it generated? Was

it at all reected in what was happening to the physical space o Kinshasa?

FdeB:Well,ontheonehand,itjustaccentuatedthelevelonon-investmentinphysicalspacebecauseallothatmoneywouldleave.Verylittleoitwouldbeinvestedininrastructure.Ontheotherhand,itdidhaveahugeimpactinotherwaysbecausetheinormaldiamondeconomyallowedorlocalactorstoalloasuddengainaccesstoalotomoney.People,otenyoungsters,wouldgotoAngolatodigdiamonds,andotentheywouldcomebackwitha$1,000,$10,000oreven$100,000.

VR:What would they do with this newly generated wealth?FdeB: Well,mostothetimeitwasveryquicklyejectedandspent-kindoejaculated,really,allovertheplace.Fewwerethosewhoinvesteditinbuilding,inhouses,inplotsoland.ButsomeareasocertainneighborhoodsinKinshasadidwitnessamodestconstructionboomthankstothatkindomoney.Butalready,whenyoutalkaboutthecapitaloKinshasa,thequestionimmediatelyis,Thecapitalorwhom?orwhodenedwhatthecapitalis,andwhohasaccesstoit?InDakar,itwasmerelyadiscussionowhereshoulditbe.InCongo,thecolonialcityreallyemergedasanon-place.Itwasdenedasacenterextra-coutumier,thatis,thecityplaceditselrightromthestartoutsideoalllocallyexistingcultural,social,andpoliticalrameworks.Inthepostcolonialperiod,Kinshasabecameamajorpoliticalcenter.Butinrecentyears,eventhatrolehasslightlychanged.Inthelate1990swesawhowregionalplayers(Rwanda,amongothers)triedhardtomakethecapitalmoveeastward,awayromaFrancophonesphereoinfuence.Intheendthathasntworked,ionlybecauseothesheersizeandweightoKinshasaasa cultural center.Andithas, o course, also remainedan importantpolitical center, but


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contrarytoanearlierperiod,itisperhapsnolongerexclusivelytheonlypoliticalcenter.Thereareothercentersopoweraswell.WiththeKabiladynasty,Lumumbashi,orexample,hasonceagainbecomemoreimportant.

And,second,thecapital,alreadywhenthecitywasoundedorwhenitgrewoutoreallyacomptoireconomy,itwasatradingpostoriginallyandthentransormedintoahugelaborcamp.ThecitythattheBelgiancolonialadministrationdevelopedwasadeeplysegregatedone,certainlyintermsoracebutalsointermsogender,orexample.Basically,itwasadepotocheaplabororce.Accesstothecitywasstrictlycontrolled.Thecityitselwasdual:therewaslaVille,theexclusivelywhite,colonialheartothecity,andthentherewaslaCit,thevast,indigenousperipheralcity,inhabitedbyCongolese.Thecityinitselhasalwaysmaintainedastateoexclusion,eventoday.Forexample,wherethecolonialbordersothecityendtoday,therealcitystarts,muchlikePikine.ButinKinshasa,youhaveacolonialcitywithaverysmallheart,whichstoppedgrowingin1960,whenKinshasaspopulationdidnotexceed400,000.Aterward,4millionto6millionpeoplehavebeenaddedontothat,butinareasthathavenotbeenurbanizedalongormallines.

Today,oneotheaccesspointsintotheoldcolonialVilleismarkedbyastatue,whichFatherKabilaerectedinmemoryoLumumba,Congosrstprimeministeraterindependence.ThestatueitselisoaLumumbawhostandswithonehandraised.Andthereareallkindsopopularinterpretationsothatstatue.Firstoall,inCongo,thereisnorealcultureostatuaryinpublicplaces,soitssuddenappearancegeneratedallkindsocomments.Paintedingold,thehugeandheavystatueremindsoneotheormerSovietUnionsaesthetics.Therstremarkspeoplemadewere,Thisisgoingtobeheavytomoveandstealwhenanotherwaveolootingsweepsthroughthecity.Andsecond,whyishestandingtherewithhishandlikethis?Hesbasically saying,Stop,youcantgetintothecity.Toallothemultitudeswholive intheperipheralcitythathasbecometherealcity,thestatuesays,Yourenotallowedtocomein.Itsbasicallyperceivedasthegovernmentdenyingaccesstoallthesepeoplewhowanttoget

intothecitybutwhoarenotallowedto,whocantaordto,whocantmakeuseoit,whoareblockedandexcluded.

TheareasandneighborhoodsthatextendbeyondthestatuearereerredtoasLaChinepopulaire,orthePeoplesRepublicoChina,becausetheyaresopopulous.TheyarecalledBanaterrerouge,orthechildrenotheredearth,inreerencetothedustyandunasphaltedsandroadsinthoseareas.Thepeoplelivingtherehaveneverhadarealsenseothecolonialcityastheirown.Veryoten,Ithink,theydonteelasithecitybelongstothem.Itsnottheircity.

FatherKabila,Ibelieve,understoodthatverywellandtriedtodecentralizetheurbanspace,muchlikeWade.AsanalternativetotheCentralMarketinthecolonialcenter,Kabilaorderedanothermarket tobe built inthe citysnewerperiphery.Buteventhen thatmarket

picksuponlyveryslowlybecausepeopledonotreallyconsiderittheirown:itisatop-downgovernmentinitiative. Ithasbeentherenoworalmosttenyears,andtheeelingaboutthatmarketisnotgood.Peoplestartworkingandunctioningaroundthemarket,butthemarketitselasaconstructedspacebythegovernmenthasneverreallybeenullyadopted.

Sothatothercity,thatperipheralcitythatistherealcity,hasdevelopedaccordingtoitsownnotionowhatcapitalmightmean,orwhatormsoaccumulationmightmean.InordertoexistsociallyinacitylikeKinshasa,expenditure,circulation,andconspicuousconsumptionarearmoreimportantthanaccumulationormaximalizationoprot.Accumulationrequiresadirectionality,ateleology,aspecictemporalitywhichisnotthetemporalityothecitytoday.Thecity,onthecontrary,isaspaceothesudden,theunoreseen,theunexpectedandfeetingmoment.Inordertosurviveinit,onehastoknowhowtocapturethatmoment.Itisthispraxisocaptureandseizurethatdetermineslieandsurvivalinthecity,whichitselisotencompared


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tothespaceotheorest.Assuch,thecitydoesnotunctionaccordingtoastandardcapitalistlogicasweknowit.Thecity,essentially,isahunterslandscape.Inordertosurviveinthisorest-city,onehastobeagoodhunter,thatis,knowhowtoseizeanopportunityandknowhowtomakethatknown.Thenewguresosuccesswithinthecity,whetheritbepreachers,politicians,

ormusicians,are,inaveryrealsense,thecitysbesthunters:thosewhoknowhowtocapturewealth,injectitagaininsocialnetworks,andgainsocialweightthroughit.Thatalsomeansthattheurbanscapeisnotsomuchshapedbythedynamicsomodernitybutratherthatitisconstantlyinusedwithallkindsoothernotionsandmoralitiesthatotenhavelongstanding,ruralroots.

Thepracticesoseizureandimmediateexpendituremakeortheactthatthereisnobuildupoanysurplus;thenotionoaccumulationisabsent.Everythingyouhaveoreverythingthat issoldin themarket iseverything that canbecontainedbyonesbelly,everything thatcanbeeatenanddigestedimmediatelyinthemoment.Thereisnouseinbuyingtencansosomethingbecauseyoudontknowwhetheronthetenthdayyouwillstillbetheretodrinkit.Soyoubuywhatyouneedinthemoment.Youdontbuyawholebarosoap,butyoubuyjusta

thirdoit,enoughtowashyourselwiththisonetime.Youdontbuyawholepackocigarettes;youbuyjustoneorevenhaloonecigarette.Andsoalltheheapsooodstusthatyouseeatthemarketaremeasuredbythequantityothebelly,thequantityothestomach.Capitalinthatsensestartstomeansomethingelse;itbecomessomethingelse,awayromstandardnotionsoaccumulation.

VR:I notions o accumulation are displaced rom the logic o capital in the urban practices othe Kinois, is there a dierent sense or understanding o investment as well?

FdeB: Well,thereisalotoinvestmentinsocialrelationsandinonessel-realizationthroughtheserelations,butarlessinvestmentinmaterialinrastructure.Notinbuildings,notinacity

thatisstillperceivedassomethingthatisnotullyoursaterallthosedecades.Andsinceitisnotullyours,itmeansthereisntasenseoresponsibilityaboutit:thematerialinrastructureandeverythingthatcomesromaboveandromoutsideistheretoberippedo,tobecapturedandtakenadvantageo,whetherlegallyorillegally.Thetermnowiskisanola,orcombingyourhair.Combinginthesensepeoplenowgivetoitmeansstealing,looting,rippingo.II,asawhiteperson,walkthroughthestreet,peoplewillmakethekisanolasign,bywhichtheyindicateYouaretheretoberippedo,basicallybecauseIdontbelongthereandcanthereorebetakenadvantageowithoutanymoralobjectionsoreelingsoguiltorwrongdoing.Similarly,amoneychangerinthestreetmightadvertisedoublekisanola.meaning,Hereyouwillberippedotwice.Itindicatesthatthemoneychangeryouaredealingwithknowswhatheisdoing,thatheisshrewdandstreetwise.Paradoxically,theactthatheisnottobetrustedisasignyoucantrustthatguy.Anotherimagepeopleuseisthatoaninjection.Inordertosocially

existandsurviveinthisurbanenvironment,onehastoknowhowtostickaneedleintosomeoneandsuckthevictimsblood.Sothatsthewayinwhichcapitalmovesinthecity,thatswhatitisabout.Itsnotaboutaccumulating,itsnotaboutmaximalizing.Itisnotabouthavingbutaboutbeing,notaboutpossessingbutaboutconsuming,aboutsingularizingoneselbyimmediatelyputtingcapitalinconstantcirculation.

VR:I these actions do not have a standard capitalist notion o investment, which is typicallydirected toward uture proftability and to something that might materialize at some other pointin time, then what kinds o uture are being imagined by the Kinois?

FdeB: Suchasenseisemergingtodaybutinthereligioussphere,wheremoneyhascometomeansomethingveryspecic.WithinPentecostalismandotherprosperitychurches,yousee


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howtheswitchtowardacapitalistnotionomoneyandoaccumulationismade.Thereyoualsowitnesstheintroductiononewnotionsoindividualization.Thesechurchesturnawayromoldercollectiveidentitiesbasedonkinshiporethnicbelonging.Withinthatnewreligiouspublicspheretheseormergroupidentitiesaredisavored.Onthecontrary,onebecomesanauthentic

Christian asanindividual and throughonesownworkand eort.And thats theconstantmessageothesechurches.Hereonewitnessestheintroductionoanewsubjectormation,theintroductionalso,oanewworkethosandonewnotionsoaccumulation.Inthesechurchesaccumulationisnolongersomethingthatissociallynegative.Itis,onthecontrary,somethingthatisavored,eventhoughtheruitsothatlaborandaccumulationareotennotharvestedinstantlyinthislie.Whenpeoplegivemoneyandgoodstothechurchandtotheirpreacher,theydosobecausetheybelievethatGodwillmultiplythesegitsandreturnittothem.DuringMassesandprayermeetingsthebelieversotenlistentotestimoniesbypeoplewhodiedandwereresuscitatedthroughtheorceoprayer.OtentheyreportbacktothechurchcommunityaboutwhattheywitnessedinParadise:Everythingthatwegivetothechurch,everythingthatwegivetothepreacher,isbeinginvestedoryouinheaven,theywouldsay.Andwiththemoneyyougivetheyarealreadybuildingyourhouseandyourvillainparadise.Whenyoudie,

yourhousewillbethere,ahousethatyouwereneverabletoaordhereonearth.Sogivinginthisreligiouscontexthasbecomeaninvestmentinrealestate,eventhoughthatrealestateislocatedinheaven.Inthissense,thechurchesdocontributetoanewormourbanplanning,butitisanimaginaryurbanplanninginthehereater.

Inthosechurches,withinthesenewormsoChristianundamentalism,youclearlyseehowtheswitchismaderomthenotionothegittowardanotionocapital,withallothealloutthatitproducestoo-becauseitmeansthatstressisputonindividualsuccessandnotongroupsolidarity.Anditmeansthatthenotionothegroup,owhatamilyis,orexample,isbeingredenedatthemomentawayromtherealityotheextendedamilytowardthenewandmorerestrictivenotionothenuclearamily.Intheprocess,peoplewhomonewouldhavedenedaskinbeorearenowbeinglabelledasoutsiders,strangers,orevenwitches.These

areradicallynewgeographiesoinclusionandexclusionthatemergewithintheurbanlocaleandredene theboundaries between insideand outside, kinand stranger, endogamousandexogamous.

AcitylikeKinshasahasreallybecometheaultlinewherethesetwodierentlogics-thelogicogit-andkin-basedreciprocityandthelogicomoney-meet,soarwithoutreallymerging,andthatproduceshugeupheavals.

VR:In the book, you talked about the idea o the jungle, and how its becoming part o thelandscape o the city. The growth o the city seems to be premised upon the encompassing o thisorest through new orms o action such as those in the religious sphere.

FdeB: Well,asIsaid,itsagainaboutthehunter.Intheorest,inordertosurvive,youhavetoknowhowtohunt.Inthecity,inordertosurvive,youhavetoknowhowtohunt.Well,thatmeans,whatdoes thehunterdowhenhegoeshunting?He comesbackwithmeatandthendistributesitaccordingtospecicrolesandrulesthatindicatewhatoneshouldgivetoonesmaternaluncle,rstwie,theownerothegun,theownerothelandwhereyoushottheanimalon,andsoonandsoorth.Andthatshowhemakesthatcapitalgain,inthiscase,workorhim.Hegainsinsocialprestigebyinvestinginsocialcapital.

Inordertosurviveinthecity,youhavetodothesamething.Youhavetoconstantlymakesurethatyoucreateandinvestincertainnetworks,whicharenolongerthenetworkothehousehold,maybe,oroyourethnicgrouporyourvillage,butdierentkindsoassociations,dierentkindsogroupsocooperation-maybeagang,maybeallkindsogroups.Butyou


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constantly have to invest, you constantlyhave to bepresent, constantly have to exchange,constantlybeintouchwithothers.Inordertosurviveinthecityyouhavetoknowhowtodothat.

Whenpeoplespeakothecityasorest,theyreertoaspecickindoorest.Itsaorestinwhichyoucanbecomemodern,whereyoucanattainandaccessacertainmodernity,eveniitsonlyinimaginaryoroneiricorm.Igavetheexamplethechurch,butthebarisanotherconcreteexampleoaspacewhereyoucandothat,andthechurchandthebaroverlaptoacertainextent.Theyarebasicallythesameludicspaces.

VR: I was also interested when you talked about the hollowing out o political power inKinshasa - the colonial Kinshasa, not the other Kinshasa that has developed later on - and theconcentration o that power in other cities, like Lumumbashi. What is the relationship betweenthese various concentrations and expressions o power? What is the kind o impact they have onthe landscape o the capital city?

AMS: LookingatsomeotheoverlapsanddivergencesoDakarmaybesomewhatinteresting.BecauseonehastokeepinmindthatDakarandotherSenegalesetownswereactual-

FdeB: Thosewerecomptoirs.

AMS: TheywerecomptoirsandalsopartoFranceatonepoint.DakarwasliterallyintegratedintoFrenchterritoryanddonesoinawaytomarkthestrongdividebetweenthecity,theurbanandthehinterland.ThehinterlandwastheprovinceotheMarabout,akindoreligiouspowerthathadtobecontained,thathadtobemarked.Idontknowalotaboutthathistory,butitisaclearhistorywithramicationstothisday.Insomeways,outsideoKinshasaisahinterlandthatisteemingwithcertainpossibilities.Itteemswithbothanexcessolieanddeath.Whereas

outsideoDakarisincreasinglyahinterlandthatisover.Itswasted.

Butwhatsinteresting,too,istheactthatyouhaveTouba.Itwasareligiouscityandwasatonetimeexemptromtaxationandhadnokindolocalmunicipalstructures.ThebuyingandsellingallwasconcentratedasakindoterrainotheMuridsocialstructureandalsoexemptromcertainkindsoapplicationsocustomslaw.

Toubareallygrewalotthroughtrade,soitwasakindoentreptmaskedassacredcity.Then,whenpeoplebegantorealizethatitwasasortoboomingcommercialcenteronthebasisoillegaltrade,therewastheattempttodomesticateitinsomeway.Thedomestication,thecomplexnegotiationstobringitsurbaneconomy,whichwasnotjustaneconomyoTouba,butatransnationaleconomy-thatsomehowsymbolicallyandadministrativelywasadministered

romTouba.Thecomplicatednegotiationstotrytobringitintotheambitothestatemeantthatcertaindealshadtobeworkedout.AndanimportantdealwasthatPlateau,thecommercial,administrative,colonialcentreoDakar,became-throughmanydierentpolicies,manydierentdeals-increasinglyavailabletotheMurids.So,theMuridsbegantotakeover.TheybegantotakeovercertainLebanesecommercialinterests,particularlythatkindointermediarybetweenwholesalingandretailing.WhatwasinterestingisthattheDakarsurbaneconomyinsomewaysbecameanextensionoTouba.Butyouhavethenakindoindigenousentrepreneurshipthatreallyiswithinanurbaneconomyandisreallystrong,unlikeinmanyotherplaces.

FdeB: ThatsreallydierentthanCongo.Imean,intermsoindigenousentrepreneurship,whathasworkedwellinthepastdecadesarethosepartsothecountrythatknewhowtoevadeKinshasa.AverygoodexamplearetheNandecultivatorsandtradersocoeeinasecondarycitysuchasButembo,ineasternCongo,whothroughtheirownnetworksmanagedtoreallyinscribe


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themselvesintransnationalcommercialmovementswhichlinkthemtoDubaiandAsia.Verywealthy,awholenewormourbanization,akindoveryprovincialurbanism,alloitbecausetheyarenotunderthecontrolothecapitalcityandknowhowtoevadethestate.Otherwise,itwouldneverhavehappened.Therealurbangrowthandthenotionitselourbanityoten

develops,Iwouldsay,outsideoKinshasa,aslongasitsnotcontrolledbythecapital.

Thesameistrueothediamondtrade.Eventhoughmateriallytheydonotrepresentmuch,littlediamondtownsthatspringupalongtheborderwithAngola,orexample,orthegoldminingtownsintheEastthosearetheplaceswheretheideaocapitalismandurbanityismostullygenerated.Butagain,materially,thesecitiesandtownsdonotcorrespondtotheormowhatwethinkoasacity.Andyettheyaremuchmoreurbaninawayintheirdynamicsthanwhatgoesonintherealcity.

AMS: InSenegal,insomeways,thepredominantmodeourbanaccumulationcanbeattributedtowhatgoesonoutsideoSenegal.TheresnothingwithinthenationoSenegalitselthatcouldaccountorthekindo-

FdeB: No,butwithinSenegal,therearelocalauthochthonousgroupsthathavethecapacityandstrengthtoimposethemselvesandbecomekeyplayersandcontrolthatgame.InCongo,youotendonthavethese,inthatsense.Whethersmalltradeandcommerceorindustrialactivitiesintheeldsominingorwood-logging today,theseactivitiesotenwereandstillarenotinCongolesehandsbutarecontrolledbytheLebaneseorexampleortheChinese,orthatmatter.EvenintheearlyyearsoKinshasasexistence,thetradewasnotinCongolesehandsbutwasotencontrolledbywhatwerecalledtheCoastmen:peoplecomingromFreetownorDakarorlatertheGreeksandthePortugueseandnowtheLebaneseandthePakistanisandsoon.

Whenitcomestothebroadergeopoliticalgame,Imean,whyisUgandathere?WhyisRwandathere?ItseemstobeCongosatetoalwaysbeexploitedbyandprotedromoutsiders.

Congolese,eventheCongolesegovernment,triestogetitshandsonsomeothecrumblesthatallothetable,butitneverullycontrolsthegame,itseemstome.WhereastheseMuridareincontrolowhattheyredoing,tosomeextent.

AMS: Andincreasinglyso.

FdeB: Andincreasinglyso,yes,increasinglytakingoverthestate.

AMS:Sothatsortodivision,okeepingthestateseparateromcapital,DakarseparateromTouba-

VR: In practical terms, it seems to be blurring. This relation between the capital city as theexpression o political power and as the space or capital as economic feld o operation -

AMS:Itsnotthere.Forexample,duringtheperiodsointensereligiousceremonyinTouba,youcanwalkdownthemainstreetoDakarandhavealmostnotrac.Otherwise,streetsinDakar,whereIusedtolivenotarromPlateau,whichusedtobea10-minutetaxiride,todaytakesanhourandahal.

FdeB: Absolutely.Orevenlongernow,becauseotheroadworks.

AMS: Butalsobecausetherearelimitedeederroads,becauseotheincreaseddensication.Insomeways,whataccountsorthatkindodensication?Allright,manyotheLebanesehavegoneaway,havebeendisplaced.Sotheygo,butmanyotheLebanesealsocontinueto


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haveimportantkindsoeconomiccircuits.AstheyredisplacedromcertainkindsoeconomicactivitiesbutbecauseothewaysthatmanyothoseLebanesenetworkswereimplicatedwithinthesocialistparty,theysimplytakeanotherormoaccumulation,whichisthroughextendingtheirrealestate.So,youhavethesebigLebaneseinvestmentsinbuilding.

Now,theMuridarealsocapableodoingthat.Imean,itsnotthattheparticularormoeconomicactivityisanythingdierentromakindocorporatestructure.Theydothataswell.Butthereissomethingimportantaboutthemarket.Thereissomethingimportantaboutthelogicothewayinwhichthemarketoperates,asanintenselymutableorm.Theressomethingverymaterialaboutthewaythatthismarketoperates:smalltraderswhoaremorethansmalltraders,oshitingalliancesthataremadevisible,oaormovisibilitywherepeoplecanwatch,observe,seewhatsgoingon,whosdealingwithwhom.Butthathastobeserviced,soyouhavebigtruckscominginandtrac.

Itbecomesadensicationbyvirtueomultiplyingthesetrajectoriesinawaythatspartlysymbolic,partlyakindonervecenter.Theantecedentswanttoreproducethemselvesspatially,

yetveeroandtransormintoasortoMuridversionocorporateheadquarters-bigbuildings,because theyre investing in that aswell - andalso theway inwhichDakar is increasinglyimplicatedinothereconomieselsewhere.Forexample,thepoliticalcrisesoAbidjanduringthepastseveralyearshasmeantkeycorporations,multilaterals,moveromAbidjantoDakar.

But whats also interesting is the attempt to host theOrganization o the IslamicConerenceinDakar,somethingthatwassupposed tohavealreadytakenplace. Ithasbeenpostponednowthreetimes,sonowitstotakeplaceattheendo2007.Wadealwayssaysthereason orthisdelay isbecauseDakar needsadequate inrastructurein ordertosucientlyhost themeeting.Forhim, thatmeanstheconstructionoeightnewve-starhotelsontheCorniche.

Insomewaystheinrastructureohostingthismeetingalreadyexists.Italreadyexistsintouristareasoutsidethecity.Butinsomeways,thatstoomuchakindobudgettourism,borderingon some sleazy activitiesthat cant really be thesite tohost an Islamicmeeting.Maybeanyothermeetingcouldtakeplacethere.ButbecausethisistheOrganizationoIslamicConerenceandasthebasisoaccumulationotheMurids,SenegalhasalwaysinsomesensebeenmarginaltotherestotheIslamicworld,thereissomeperceivedneedtousethisgatheringasawayonormalizingSenegalsrelationshipswiththeMuslimworld.

Not that Senegal itsel hasnt always been seen as part o the Muslim world. Butincreasingly,astheMuridsassumemorepoliticalandeconomicpowerandthenbecomeavailableasanexpressionoacertainkindonationalcohesion,signallingthedistinctivenessoSenegalasanationbutalsoitsintegrationintoalargertheatreooperations.WereMuslims,were

clearlyMuslims,wetakeIslamseriously.Singularityisverymuchwrappeduphistoricallyintoasenseonationalidentity,asenseonationalcohesion.

Insomeways,thehostingotheOrganizationotheIslamicConerencesignalsalmostthenormalizationoSenegalspositionwithintheIslamicworld,soithastobedoneright.Buttobedonerightmeansthatyouhavetomakethisbiginterventionintothebuiltenvironment.ThemoneyiscomingromDubai,romKuwait.Thesehotelsbasicallybelongtothem,andwhatistheirinterest?WhatistheinterestotheEmiratesintheGul?ThenanciallyambiguousroleoDubaiWorldanditsrealestatearm,Limitless,intheproposedconstructionothenewcapitalsimplyaccentuatestheimpressionthatthecountryisbeingbroughtintoaparticulareldoorbitthatisbeingelaboratedthroughmajorurbanandnancialengineeringprojectsmanagedbyGulcompaniesacrosstheMaghreb.


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SomehowtheressomethingaboutlocatingwhatwillbeGul-ownedpiecesorealestateontheCorniche,acingtheAtlanticinthewesternmostIslamiccountry.Asix-hourfightromNewYork-theressomethingaboutthat.

FdeB: Areyousayingthis,oristhiswaythishasbeenperceived?

AMS: OnthestreetinDakar,theresthiskindotalk,youknow?

FdeB: Likewereinthemiddleo-

AMS: AllImsayingisthatwhenyoulookattherelationshipbetweencapitalandthecapitalcity,thekindoprojectocentralizing,thekindoexpressionothecapital,othenationalcohesion-

VR: The way Im hearing it is that theres some relationship between being aligned to these

other sorts o ows - rom Dubai or elsewhere - on the one hand, and to the regeneration othe city, o the nation on the other hand, which cannot any longer be expressed without thisalignment? Without this movement toward bringing those elements into the space o the city - ina very concrete expression. The buildings almost become that medium as it were, where -

AMS: Yes,butcombinedwithaveryoldstorytoo.Wadeisaveryoldguy.Hesinhisearly80s.Hesjustbegunhislastterminoceatwhatmaybeahighpoliticalpriceorthecountry.Heknowsthattimeisrunningout,andheswaitedtobeinpoweroralong,longtime,andsomehowthenotionothegrandstravaux,thebigworks-

FdeB: VeryFrench.LikeaFrenchPresident.

AMS: Tomakethemark,toleavethetrace,withalsoveryoldideasaboutmakingSenegalreallyamodernnation-thatsrefectedinthis.Itsanoldstory.

Invisible Infrastructure

VR: Turning to a related but dierent question, I want you both to elaborate why the notion oinvisibility seems so analytically central to thinking about the contemporary Arican city?

FdeB: ThequestionseemstobethethingsthatMaliqwastalkingabout:urbannetworksandhowpeoplemovethroughthecity,makeuseothecity,andcreatethecityandgeneratethecity

whiledoingso.Howcanyoucapturethat?Howcanyoustarttounderstand,capture,contain,andrepresenturbanlie?Howdoyourepresentanurbanrealitylikethat?Youcannot.Allthemeansthatwehaveatourdisposaltodoso,whetheritswritingorwhetheritsphotography,seemtobeinawaynotsucient.

VR: Sothequestionisalsoaboutepistemologyhavingtodowiththeurbanasobject.ItseemsthatwritingaboutinvisibilityisaproductivewayodescribingwhatshappeninginAricancities.AndpartotheinterestisalsotounderstandwhetherthoseormsodescriptionareparticularonlytoAricaoritheycantraveltootherurbanconditions.

FdeB: Well,invisibilitycanmeanmanythings.Thereisinvisibilityonmanylevels,ocourse.

ThereistheactthatthesecitiesareinvisibletotheoutsideworldbecausepeopledontknowmuchaboutAricancities.Thereis theactthatthesecitiesunctioninwayswerenotused


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to,andthatwethereoredonotsee,thatgounnoticed.Thereistheactthatormsourbanplanningandsooncontinueinverymuchliterallyinvisibleways,liketheurbanizationthatIwastalkingabout-urbanizinginParadiseratherthanthereallie.Invisibilitymightmeananumberothings.

AMS: Iagree.AspartothisNewSchoolgrant,therehasbeenthisprojectinDoualaorthepasteighteenmonths.Onepieceothatwastohaveaworkinggroupoyoung,middle-classkidsinamiddle-classareaoDouala,Bonamoussadi.Theymeetonceeverytwoweeksoreighteenmonths.Thisnotiono invisibilitywassomethingthatwasontheirmindsaswell.Itwasawordthatwasused,itwasaconcernthattheyhad,itwasaveryparticularkindoconcernbecausethesearemiddle-classkids.Theycomeromamiliesthatarecivilservantsorlawyersorteachers,proessors,businesspeople,andliveinaquarteroDoualathathasmaybe300,000people.Itsnotsmall;itsasignicantchunkothecity.

Whentheytalkaboutthechangesthattheyhaveseentakingplaceoverthepastcoupleoyears,thediscussionstartedonthelevelosomethingveryvisible.Thatis,thechangesinthe

builtenvironmentandthewayinwhichtherewasthispopularityoacertainkindotilethatwasbeingputonthehouses.Oldhouseswerebeingtorndown,andontheaadesothesenewonesthatwerebeingbuiltwasaparticularkindotile-whitetile.Theystartedtotalkaboutthewayinwhichthiswasakindouneasything,anunsettlingthing,orthembecauseithadtheseconnotationsothecemetery,themortuary,odeath-thekindothewhitethatyouwouldputongraves.

Theywouldtalkabouttheaadeassomekindodeath.Inmanyothenewconstructions,peoplewouldspendsomuchmoneyputtingthetileontheaadethattheydidnthaveenoughmoneyletovertournishthehouseinside.Youdhavethesebeautiul,niceaadesbutinsidesomethingthat-

FdeB: Emptiness.

AMS: Emptiness.So,again,sortointensiyingthiskindoconnotationodeath.Theywouldseetheirneighbours,buttheconcernwas,Okay,thisisthebuiltenvironment,itsanicehouse,butwhoisinside?Thisthingaboutbeingvisibleinthebuiltenvironmentwasalsoakindoconcernaboutwithwhomdowelive?Thesenseaboutlivingwithpeopleyoudontquiteknow.

Andthen,ocourse,thenotionothelivingdead-thosewhoareabletooperateinthecitywithoutbeinginterrupted,whoseoperationscannotbemadevisible,renderedvisible.Wedontknowhowsomeonesgottentheirmoney.Alloasuddentheyhavealotomoney,oralloasuddensomeonelosesalotomoney.Oralloasudden,peoplemoveromahousewithout

anyoneknowing.

Insomeways,theirconcernwasOkay,wereallsortomiddleclassinthisboat.Weallhavesortonarrativesabouthowwegothere.Mymother,myather,theywenttouniversity...Buttheywouldtalkaboutgoingtoshopatanewmall,anewsupermarket.Theywouldtalkabouttheanxietyowithwhomwouldyoubeshopping,becauseyouneverknowwhoitisthatthesepeopleare.Sotheconcernwasalwaystomakethatwhichisinvisiblevisible-tointerruptit,totripitup,tondwaysotryingtoslowdownpossibleneighborswhocouldoperatewithsuchspeedthroughthecitythattheywouldntbevisible.Howdoyoumakethemvisible?Howdoyoutripthemup?Howdoyousetuproadblocks?

Theythenwentontotalkaboutwhatpeopletheyknewwereactuallydoingtotrytotripthemup.Thestoriesgetquitecomplicatedandquitepoliticalandinvolveotherterritoriesandpeopleinthecitythattheywouldneverdealwith.Thenotionsometimesovisibilityand


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invisibilityisaconcernthatpeoplethemselvesraise.Itsakindolanguagethattheythemselvesbring,soitsnotananalyticalthingnecessarilyimposed.Itcanbethat,but

FdeB: Itsanaturalthingthatcomesoutotherealitythatpeopleinhabit.InKinshasa,the

same.Therelationshipbetweenvisibilityandinvisibilityisaveryweirdone,inaway,becauseontheonehand,inordertoexistsociallyinthecityisallaboutbeingasvisibleaspossible.Itsaboutappearance.Thatswhyyouhavethatwholepopularurbancultureosapeandelegance,abouttheclothesyouwear.Itsaboutknowinghowtoputyourselonstage,anditstheonlywaytoacquiresocialweightandimposeyourselinpublicspace.Alloasuddenthereisthispersonemerging,thispreacher,politician,musician,orbusinessman,verytheatricalandveryphysicallypresent,althoughyouneverseehowhegotthere.Themodesinwhichvisibilitywasachievedremainedratherinvisible.

Performing Urbanity

VR: So are there particular orms o etiquette associated with becoming visible?

AMS: IamthinkingabouttheworkIdidinLagos,whichwassometimeago.ItwasinaparticularneighborhoodinLagos,whichwasverypeculiartoLagos,veryparticulartoLagos.There,thequestionsovisibilityandinvisibilitywerelargelyaboutwitnessing.Howdoyouturnyourselintoareceiverothekindsoinormationthatmightbeuseultoyouinordertoknowhowtoinsertyourselintosomekindoemergingdealorscenario?Becauseallthatthisneighborhoodhadwasitsdeals:thedealsthatdidnttakeplaceinsidebutalwaysoutside.Therewasalwaysthiskindoincessantprocessovisitingeachother,showingup,visiting,makingoneselvisible,togotoastorewhereotherpeopleareshowingup.Butthenasotherpeopleareshowingup,howdoyounotinsistuponyouragenda?Howdontyoudominatethisspace,this

scene,buthowdoyoubecomevisibleandalmostdisappearintheaceootherswhoarealsothere,insomesense,orthesameagenda?

BecausethiswaslargelyaHausaneighborhoodwithinaYorubacity-oraMuslimplace,WestAricanMuslimplace-itwasntthattherewerentvisibleassociationsandvisiblerulesandvisiblerepresentativesotheemirandhisbusinessinterests.Somehow,inordertomakethethingwork,peoplehadtoputtogethernewcrewswithnewkindsoskills,withdierentkindsoexperiencesandtradesthaninthepast,becauseyouretryingtotakeonsomethingnew.Youretryingtocongurenewkindsodealsnow,youretryingtogotonewcities,youretryingtobuynewcommodities,youretryingtorelatetootherkindsosyndicates.

So,Iwanttoputtogetheranewcrew,buthowdoIdothat?Butalso,howdoInotenter?

ItscomplicatedbecausethisisaspatialarenathatknewithadtosurviveinsomewaybecauseBabandigaandthemilitarywantedtoseizeitbecauseitsaninterlocked,aninterstitialzonebetweenLagosislandandVictoria.ItwascededbytheBritishtotheHausaasakindospaceooperation,sothereareveryvisiblesolidaritiesthathadtobemaintained.Youcantincludeeveryone,butyoucantbeseenexcludingpeopleinparticular.Howdoyoucreatethesensethatyournewcrewsareinsomesensesel-selected,thatyourenottheonewhosexcluding?

Soitisjustacomplicatedkindoelaborationoasocialetiquetteinaway,akindobusinesspracticethathadtokeepchannelsoinormationopen,hadtonotkeepsecrets,buthadtohaveaninormationaleconomywhereyouminimizedcompetition.Itwasalldonethroughthesequotidianpracticesohavingsitesthatapparentlydidntsellmuchoanythingbutwereplacesoreception.Theresawayomanaginganeconomyovisibilityandinvisibility,wherethetwohadtobebroughttogetherinsomekindounctionalcalibrationandrecalibratedallothetime.


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WithinthelargerscopeoLagos,giventheactthatthereareusuallyeightpeopletoaroom,alwaysinverydensequarters,howcanyoukeepsomethingtoyoursel?Howcanyoukeepsomethingaway?Isthere,inanysense,privacy?Privacydoesntreallyexistspatially.Ithastobeacalibrationonotseeingwhatyousee,andalsoseeingwhatyoudontsee,becauseyou

havetobeabletosee.

Evenintheeverydaycognitionothiskindodensity,visibilityandinvisibilityareday-to-daymatters.

FdeB: Butyoualsoneedtobeinvisibleortoknowhowtodisappearandreappearatagoodtime.

AMS:Timeliness.

FdeB:Timeisveryimportant.

AMS:Thecalculationsoactinginatimelymatter

FdeB:Thatswhyeverybodyalsoseemstobewaitingallothetime,Ithink.

AMS:Giventhesortobig-manorbig-womansyndrome,particularlyinaplacelikeLagos,youneedaprotector,youneedapatron,youneedsomeoneyoucanhaverecourseto,youcanappealto,whocanarbitrate,whocanmakeadecisionsothatyoudonthaveto:Okay,IknowtheonethatIappealto,thatIregard,thatIowe,thatIdependon...

Thispersonhasalotootherpeoplearound.Whathappensiweallshowupatthesametime?Howdoweknowhownottoallshowupatthesametime?

VR: How do we know not crowd the space?

AMS:Tocrowd,yes.

AMS: Inthis one areaI livedinwhenI was living inKhartoum,people romDarurwerelivingwithpeopleromtheSouthinacomplicatedrelationshipwithlotsotensionbutlotsocomplementarities.Astheareawasgrowing,soweredemandsorspaceandservices.ButitwasalwaysinterestingbecausethehouseholdsromDarurweresaying,ImplementSharia.WewantSharia,wewanttoliveintermsoIslamiclaw.Wewantthistoapplytoourselves.

Andsothesepeopleworkinginthearea-localNGOs,activists-werealwaysconcernedthatinsomewaythiswouldcreatealegalisticdividewithpeopleromtheSouth,whowouldnotallunderSharialaw.ThepeopleromDarurweresaying,No,youdonthavetoapplyit.Butwewanttoliveunderit.Pleasemakeitapplicableorus;wewantit.Therewasalwaystheconcernthatthiswouldpolarizerelationshipsmoreandreallyintensiyconfict.

ButbecausepeopleromDarurwouldthensay,No,thisisnotthepoint.WewantShariaorus.Wewanttomarkthedierencewithourneighborsevenmore,becauseitwillallowustodealwiththeminamucheasierway.WhenIthendoalltheseotherthings,itsnotthatImdoingitaspartomyzoneooperation,butImbecomingpartotheirzoneooperation.SoImthenexempt;Idonthavetoimplicatemysel.IcanretainmysenseobeingagoodMuslim,becausethatsmyoperationintheirzone.

Insomeways,thedesireorthelegalisticdividewasntadesiretocutocontactbut,quiteonthecontrary,tomaintainasenseoacertainkindointegrity.


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VR: It seems that there is an interesting contradiction here with laws in the municipal, urban

planning sense, and these other understandings o law, which dont quite territorialize in the same

way, which are universal at some level. In other words, not quite cutting o or zoning behavior

and restricting it to a particular sphere o operation; instead, which allow universalization, based

on that which is mobile, which can be carried around, through the person, through their abilityto act and be governed by a set o invisible structures, rather than visible barriers o the ways

in which cities are normally understood: barriers o neighborhoods or barriers o access or

transportation, inrastructure o various kinds, and so on.

FdeB:Butatthesametime[thesebarriers]doexist.

AMS:ThisistheclaimthatsmadebymyriendOusmanDembele,whoisanurbangeographerinAbidjan.IyoureinKumasi[aquarteroAbidjanislargelypopulatedbyIvoriansromtheNorthothecountry]andthekidsarestuckinKumasiorthemostpartbecausesurroundingthemiyougotoMarcory,itsdangerousterritory.Youcouldbekilled,youcouldbebeatenup.Theseterritoriesooperationdependonwhereyourerom,yourreligion,yourregion,andyourpoliticalaliation.Theterritorializationisreallystrong.

ButwhatDembeledescribesisthatinsomewaysitsimpossibleorthiskindostrictterritorializationtobemaintained.Somehowtheresasenseoboundaries,andtheboundariesaredividinglinesbutalsoworks-in-progress.Theybecomespacesorevision,tryingtocomeupwithnewtermsoconnection.But,ocourse,thisissomewhatinvisiblework.Heclaimsthatattheseboundaries,theresalotoboundarymaintenanceworktakingplace.Themaintenanceisnottokeepthedivisioninplacenecessarily,buttoworkoutwhatarethetermsthroughwhichthereisinterchange.Itsimpossibleorpeopletostayputnecessarily.

Weknowthattheresalotabouturbanliethatincreasinglyenablesthecapacitytostay

withinsegregatedspacesbut,weknow,alsorisksatrophyoverall.Itrisksthekindourbanizingtrajectoriesthatanurbansystemneedsinordertobeabletounction.Wealsoknowthatthesekindso spaceso segregationare dysunctional insomeways. Insomeway, theboundarybecomesakindoplacewhereitstransgressed,notjustabouttransgression,butabouttryingtocomeupwithsomethingthatyoudontnecessarilycommityourselto,whichiscontinuouslyrevised,workedout-alanguage,aterrainotransactionitsel.

Dembele claims that the relationship between contiguous areaswith very dierenthistoriesoinhabitation,whereeveryoneisanenemytoeachother,whenyoulookatitasakindosystem,thatsystemcantunctionjustsimplybeing.Therearethesepointsointersectionatboundaries,butyoucantmakethem toovisiblebecauseyouknowthatpeoplemightbelooking,youcouldbekilled.Theressomethingelsethatdoestakeplace.

From Colonial to Global:The Capacity or Networking

VR: I we were to return to our original point o departure and think about the problem o the

visible again, we have to also conront these various global trajectories o investment in Arica

that are increasingly visible now.

AMS:TheChinesewillprobablyendupputtinginonebilliondollarstoLagos,andmuchothat

willgotothecultivationoakindoChineseentrept.Imnotsureithisisstillthecase,butatonepointthiswastobethesiteoChinesepersonnel,oservices,businessesandresidents-othosethatareresponsibleormanagingWestArica.


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Itisalmostlikealarge,gatedcommunity,butitisalsomorethanjustakindoresidentialacility.Sowhathappens?Always thething isthatunlikecolonialrelationshipsothepast,wheretheabilitytooperatewaspredicatedonallotheseother,ancillaryactivitieslikecivilizingmissionsanddestructive-

VR: The display o excessive power

AMS:Yes,butthisis:Wellleaveyoualoneiyouleaveusalone.Itsakindocapacitationoakindoparallelplay,oaquidproquo.Youallowustobringourengineeringteams,oursta,ourpersonnel; youallowus toevacuateparticularkindso resources, againusingourinrastructure,thenwewillpayyouortherighttohavedonethat.Partothatpaymentis,onceagain,investmentininrastructure.Thisisakindoconnectionthatwillhavereallymassiveimplications.

VR: Yes, thats something that I want to hear more about, especially in the light our discussionabout the operation o very low-end Chinese merchants or retailers in places like Douala and

smaller towns in Arica - the ways in which they integrate themselves into local networks, markets,

and economic ows, and so on. How do you think this massive inrastructural investment and

capacitation that arises rom that is dierent rom the operation o these merchants? Or maybe

its not dierent. What is it going to do to the shape o the city or the uture o the city?

For example, Im thinking o the way that Khartoum is being transormed, not rom the

West but rom India, rom China, and not in the traditional orms o trade, which are historic.

You have had Indian merchants in Arica or centuries, coming in through the Indian Ocean

trade, and similarly the Chinese as well. But this is something new. This is Capital, with a big

C, coming in rom the East. Thats not so much built o these human networks, but builto something more inhuman, a creation o an inhuman platorm. It probably has great ethical

implications or the way that architecture, especially, inserts itsel into the city.

AMS:Yes.TheMalaysians,orexample,wantedtomakethisdealwithWadewheretheywouldbuild30,000unitso socialhousing,buttheyhad tobebuiltwithinoneyear,andithadtobedoneunderparticularkindsoconditions.Andin someways, itwas.ItwasaMalaysiancompanythatspecializesinquickhousingconstructionorlower-endconsumption,romwhichtheythinktheycanprot.IthasantecedentsinaparticularkindoMalaysianaspiration,whichisthatMalaysiacanembodyakindoprogressive,Islamiccapitalismthatisabletotakecertainkindsorisksbutyethasaninteractionwithothereldsopossibility.

Itsstillaplayingeld.InCaboVerde,Irishinvestorswanttobuild15,000unitsoretirementhousingorEuropeaninvestment.Insomeways,thereisthissensethatthereisnoplacethatcantbe inhabited,thereisnoplacethatcantbepotentiallyoccupied,thereisnoplacethatisinsomewayso-limits.Becauseyoustillhavethesekindsoundercodedterritories,theyalsocanbecomeplaygroundsortheideasandtheaspirationsandoavarietyodierentexternalactors.

TheChinesejuggernautisthemostdominant,themostvisiblekindoactorinthis,butthereareothers.

VR: Its perhaps appropriate to end here with this gesture toward these singular projects that

have great potential or generating urbanism beyond the city in ways that are perhaps dierentrom those projects or renovating the capital city that we began with. Thanks very much to both

o you or your time and energy.


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Acknowledgements

VyjayanthiRaowouldliketothankKanuAgrawalorinvitinghertoconceivethisconversationandMaliqSimoneandFilipdeBoeckormakingitpossible.SpecialthankstoFilipdeBoeck

orhishospitalityinBrusselsandtoJesseWillardorassistancewiththetranscriptionotheconversation.

kinshasa tales of an invsible city

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