In Cote d Ivoire, appearing modern is so important for success that many young men deplete their already meager resources to project an illusion of wealth in a fantastic display of Western imitation, spending far more than they can afford on brand name clothing, accessories, technology, and a robust nightlife. Such imitation, however, is not primarily meant to deceive rather, as Sasha Newell argues in"The Modernity Bluff," it is an explicit performance so valued in Cote d Ivoire it has become a matter of national pride.
Called "bluffeurs," these young urban men operate in a system of...

In Cote d Ivoire, appearing modern is so important for success that many young men deplete their already meager resources to project an illusion of wealth in a fantastic display of Western imitation, spending far more than they can afford on brand name clothing, accessories, technology, and a robust nightlife. Such imitation, however, is not primarily meant to deceive rather, as Sasha Newell argues in"The Modernity Bluff," it is an explicit performance so valued in Cote d Ivoire it has become a matter of national pride.
Called "bluffeurs," these young urban men operate in a system of...