Neoliberalism, urban development and Accra's (Ghana) shopping malls as new spaces of urban consumption

Thesis

This study is focused on urban transformation of Accra, the capital city of Ghana, under neoliberalism. Situated within the field of urban geography, and drawing from Harvey’s (1989b) urban entrepreneurialism thesis and consumption theorists, such as Bourdieu (1984), as well as attention to the literature on the middle class, the study investigates how urban governance transformation in the neoliberal era have led to the proliferation of western-style shopping malls and their consequent impact on the city’s urban development, in particular, coalition building, consumption and local economic development impacts. This is done through a case study of two of the city’s shopping malls, which have been the product of increasing foreign direct investments (FDI). The two case studies are the Accra Mall, the first fully enclosed mall in the city opened in 2008, and the West Hills Mall, West Africa’s biggest mall, opened in 2014.

The study uses a mixed methods approach involving both qualitative and quantitative methods in the relevant areas of the study. Thirty-three semi-structured interviews were conducted with key/expert informants, city authorities, mall developers and operators as well as customers. Additionally, 409 semi-structured questionnaires were administered to mall shop staff (343) and shop managers/owners (66).

In particular, three key findings are outlined: first, that contrary to the urban entrepreneurialism thesis derived from the experiences of global North cities, Accra’s malls have largely been led by the private sector who tend to ally more with national political actors rather than those in local government. I argue that shopping mall development may have been delayed due to the subservient role of the local government and other challenges, including institutional and procedural bureaucracy, that tend to constrain local governments. As such, I indicate a need for reframing the idea of private-public partnerships (PPP) as a fulcrum in urban entrepreneurial policies to local (private)-global partnership as pertains to Accra’s malls. Second, in framing mall projects as local economic development process, the results suggest that though they may be helping in poverty reduction, they may be low on local wealth creation. Finally, I argue that, as pertains to malls as spaces of consumption and projectors of modernity, in Accra, and other global South cities, malls need to be viewed more as ‘nodes of global convergence’.

Authors: Eduful, A

• Alternative title: Urban development and shopping malls in Accra, Ghana
• DOI: 10.5287/ora-ozb7wp5gx
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English Language
• Keywords: Urban entrepreneurialism; local economic development; Neoliberalism; Urban governance; Ghana; Consumption; Accra
• Subjects: Urban studies; Urban development; Urban geography