The populations of many Third World mega-cities have far outstripped any apparent economic basis for their size and survival. In this volume Congolese and Western social scientists cover most aspects of urban life in Kinshasa--how ordinary people hustle for a modest living; the famous "bargaining" system ordinary Kinois have developed; and how they access food, water supplies, health and education. The NGOization of service provision is analyzed, as is the quite rare incidence of urban riots. Equally interesting are the studies of popular discourses (including street rumor, witchcraft, and...

Congo has the natural resources the world needs. Its forests count in the fight against global climate change and its mining sector helps satisfy our addiction to the latest high tech gadgets. Congo's farmers could feed all of Africa's population of over a billion people. The Inga hydroelectric site has the potential to light up the entire continent. These realities are redefining the country's strategic place in a globalized world. Telling a different story about power and nature, Congo's Environmental Paradox examines the dynamics of this huge country's forest, mining, land, water...

Congo has the natural resources the world needs. Its forests count in the fight against global climate change and its mining sector helps satisfy our addiction to the latest high tech gadgets. Congo's farmers could feed all of Africa's population of over a billion people. The Inga hydroelectric site has the potential to light up the entire continent. These realities are redefining the country's strategic place in a globalized world. Telling a different story about power and nature, Congo's Environmental Paradox examines the dynamics of this huge country's forest, mining, land, water...

A vivid and inspiring account of a Congolese city at the centre of international aid efforts, as told through the everyday struggles of its people.

A vivid and inspiring account of a Congolese city at the centre of international aid efforts, as told through the everyday struggles of its people.