2 options
West Africa today : the Lebanese and Chinese entrepreneurs.
- Format:
- Video
- Series:
- Filmakers library online
- Language:
- English
- Subjects (All):
- Business enterprises, Foreign--Ghana.
- Business enterprises, Foreign.
- Business enterprises, Foreign--Senegal.
- Chinese--Ghana.
- Chinese.
- Chinese--Senegal.
- Lebanese--Ghana.
- Lebanese.
- Retail trade--Ghana.
- Retail trade.
- Retail trade--Senegal.
- Wholesale trade--Ghana.
- Wholesale trade.
- Wholesale trade--Senegal.
- Genre:
- Documentary films.
- Physical Description:
- 1 online resource (25 minutes).
- Other Title:
- Lebanese and Chinese entrepreneurs
- Lebanese and Chinese in Ghana and Senegal
- West Africa today : the Lebanese and Chinese in Ghana and Senegal
- Place of Publication:
- New York, NY : Filmakers Library, 2011.
- Language Note:
- This edition in English.
- System Details:
- digital
- data file
- Summary:
- In this age of globalization, here is a cameo portrait of how the local population of a "developing" African nation responds to the advances of foreigners bringing economic growth, but also potential cultural conflict.The film traces the history of Lebanese settlement in Ghana and Senegal from the 1860s, when the first families arrived in the "new world" thinking they had landed in America. They quickly assimilated, learned the language, established retail stores, and interacted closely with the local population. The Lebanese prospered until the 1970's when nationalistic governments in Ghana and Senegal started pushing them out of retail business and into wholesale. The arrival of Chinese business owners and shopkeepers in the 1990s further impacted an already weakened Lebanese economic elite.The Chinese were very competitive and offered wares at far lower prices into the wholesale market. The Chinese outlook was quite different from the Lebanese. They planned to make money and return to China, whereas the Lebanese, who often considered themselves as "Africans" remained fully tied to their lifestyle in Africa and often intermarried. In addition to hearing from both immigrant groups, the Africans express resentment towards the foreigners who they feel take their resources. One African says that the Chinese represent a serious world power and cannot be "messed with."The insights this film offers will be useful in many contexts: economics, business, cultural anthropology, and African studies.
- Notes:
- Title from resource description page (viewed Dec. 6, 2011).
- OCLC:
- 780142637
- Access Restriction:
- Restricted for use by site license.
The Penn Libraries is committed to describing library materials using current, accurate, and responsible language. If you discover outdated or inaccurate language, please fill out this feedback form to report it and suggest alternative language.