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Structures, feelings and savoir faire: Ghana's middle classes in the making

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 May 2020

Rachel Spronk
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Abstract

The concept of ‘middle class’ in African societies has been recognized recently but at the same time it resists clear-cut definition. Rather than seeking clearer classification, I propose to embrace its contested nature as productive, seeing ‘middle class’ not as a category that we can find ‘out there’ and measure, but as a classification-in-the-making. Middle-class status, or a particular idea of the good life, is a position people strive towards, but what this entails depends on context and place. The study of the pursuit of social mobility in Ghana during colonialism, independence and the post-Cold War period – of those who have successfully improved their livelihoods – provides knowledge about the middle class in the making in different eras and under different conditions. I propose a three-pronged approach to study this processual nature: Raymond Williams’ notion of ‘structures of feeling’ helps unravel the shifting affective qualities of the changing political economy, while Sara Ahmed's focus on the ‘feelings of structure’ zooms in on agency as an important tool to analyse how middle-class trajectories unfold over time. Lastly, the availability of advantageous conditions is not enough to stimulate change; one needs the savoir faire to enact them.

Résumé

Résumé

Le concept de « classe moyenne » dans les sociétés africaines a été reconnu récemment mais résiste, en même temps, à une définition précise. Plutôt que de rechercher une classification plus claire, l'auteur propose d'adopter sa nature contestée comme productive, en voyant la « classe moyenne » non pas comme une catégorie que l'on pourrait trouver « quelque part » et mesurer, mais comme une classification en devenir. Le statut de classe moyenne, ou une idée particulière du bien vivre, est une situation vers laquelle on tend, mais ce que cela implique dépend du contexte et du lieu. L’étude de la quête de mobilité sociale au Ghana durant le colonialisme, l'indépendance et la période d'après-guerre froide, de ceux qui ont réussi à améliorer leurs conditions de vie, renseigne sur la classe moyenne en devenir à différentes périodes et dans des conditions différentes. L'auteur propose une approche à trois volets pour étudier cette nature processuelle : la notion de « structures de sentiment » de Raymond Williams aide à démêler les qualités affectives changeantes de l’économie politique changeante, tandis que l'intérêt de Sara Ahmed pour les « sentiments de structure » porte sur l'agentivité en tant qu'outil important pour analyser comment se développent les trajectoires des classes moyennes au fil du temps. Enfin, la disponibilité de conditions favorables ne suffit pas à stimuler le changement; il faut du savoir faire pour les traduire dans les faits.

Type
The lived experiences of the African middle classes
Information
Africa , Volume 90 , Issue 3 , May 2020 , pp. 470 - 488
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Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 2020

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