Knowledge production and network-building in China-Africa relations

This thesis addresses the complexities in China-Africa Relations. It specifically looks at how processes of knowledge production and network-building shape China-Africa relations. This is done by testing two formulated hypothesis in two case-studies: the first focuses on the institutional FOCAC framework, the second looks at Sino-Tanzania relations in the realm of knowledge (infra)structure. As a theoretical framework social constructivism is employed, which is further refined by the Actor Network Theory. The case studies reveal that (1) the space in which processes of knowledge production and networking-building take place within China-Africa relations is socially constructed and highly dynamic; and (2) that actors and agency thereby often overrule structure which makes dualistic concepts of soft and hard development difficult labels to apply.