Presenter(s)

Julie Pugh

Comments

9:00-10:15, Kennedy Union Ballroom

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Description

This presentation examines the economic transformation of Senegal, focusing specifically on how the state is navigating its evolving relationships with foreign influences such as France, China, and international institutions. As a former French colony, Senegal continues to confront structural economic dependencies that tie its success to the West, particularly through its currency and the presence of French multinational corporations. At the same time, rising world powers, such as China, have become increasingly important in the region as they aim to exert influence previously held by colonial powers through infrastructure deals and trade partnerships that impact Senegal’s economic policies, investments, and labor markets –raising new questions about economic sovereignty. These external pressures loom large as Senegal pursues economic diversification, labor market reforms, and regional integration in response to demographic changes and in an attempt to assert greater control over its economic future. Previous research on postcolonial African economies has examined structural dependencies and foreign investment patterns, but this presentation seeks both to provide a contemporary perspective on how Senegal is responding to shifts in global power and looking to promote a sustainable economic future. In doing so, this presentation draws on a range of sources, including economic and policy reports from international organizations, scholarly analyses of African economic development, and recent news and think tank publications. Ultimately, this presentation seeks to utilize Senegal as a valuable lens through which broader conclusions on Africa’s economic modernization and position in a shifting global order can be drawn.

Publication Date

4-23-2025

Project Designation

Capstone Project

Primary Advisor

Masha I. Kisel

Primary Advisor's Department

Global Languages and Cultures

Keywords

Stander Symposium, College of Arts and Sciences

Institutional Learning Goals

Diversity; Critical Evaluation of Our Times; Scholarship

Senegal as a Case Study: Africa’s Economic Shifts in a Globalized World

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