Extraction, Global Commodity Trade, and Urban Development in Zambia's Northwestern Province: An Ethnography of lnequality and lnterdependence

The book is an ethnographic account of the wildly uneven, deeply interconnected development trajectories of Solwezi, a copper mining town in Zambia, and Zug, an urban hub for metal trading firms in Switzerland. The study explores the lives and routines of state officials, residents, mine managers, and mine employees in Solwezi. From there, it follows Solwezi's copper as it makes its way through shipping, financing, and trading. Highlighting the key actors in this value chain, the book reveals the central role Switzerland plays in Southern Africa's mining industry, but also the central role that Southern Africa plays in Switzerland's status as a leading service commodity trading hub. lt teils the story of the asymmetrical interdependencies that global capitalism creates between towns and cities in the Global North and Global South. Through joint solidarity action between such vastly different but inherently connected places, we can arrive at more equitable North-South economic relationships. 

Venue: The Square ARENA 11-2091 / Zoom: Meeting ID: 618 1377 1970 (Passcode: EthnoTalks)
Date: March 26th 2025
Time: 5 pm.