In November 2021 we initiated a collaborative research project with the Johannesburg-based Southern Africa Resource Watch (SARW). SARW is a leading NGO in the area of extractive industries, working towards participation, transparency, accountability, and environmental and human rights in the sector.
The research is spearheaded by Claude Kabemba, Georges Mukuli, and Joseph Cihunda from SARW. Together, we aim at understanding whether and how Chinese mining companies in Guinea and the DRC respond to popular protest. While there have been numerous strikes, rallies, and other protests at these mines in recent years, it is little known so far how the companies have responded and what constitutes effective strategies of contention in this realm.
The collaboration brings together SARW’s great experience of on-the-ground research and advocacy for affected communities and workers, and our academic expertise on China in Africa and struggles over large-scale infrastructure projects. The research is intended to take six months and the goal is to publish an academic journal article and a SARW research paper.
We are very excited about this joint research and look forward to the collaboration.