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Exploring the Middle Classes in Nairobi: From Modes of Production to Modes of Sophistication

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 April 2014

Rachel Spronk
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Abstract:

This article explores the middle classes as cultural practice by focusing on the young professionals, or “yuppies,” of Nairobi. Young professionals are particularly interesting to study because they are the population that has reaped the benefits of a historical development of socioeconomic opportunities. They also occupy an interesting position in the context of local preoccupations with being modern or “sophisticated” in Kenya and in terms of the expectations and assumptions of previous generations. The article touches briefly on the history of class analysis in African studies and then, departing from Marx and following a Weberian analysis, shows how three factors are important in analyzing the middle classes and the forging of class identities in a globalizing world: access to education, resulting in salaried occupations; consumption patterns; and modern self-perceptions.

Résumé:

Cet article explore la classe moyenne en tant que pratique culturelle en mettant l’accent sur les jeunes professionnels, ou “yuppies” de Nairobi. Les jeunes professionnels sont particulièrement intéressants à étudier parce qu’ils appartiennent à la génération qui a récolté les bénéfices du développement historique des opportunités socio-économiques. Ils occupent également une position intéressante dans le contexte des préoccupations locales sur le phénomène de sophistication au Kenya, en comparaison avec les attentes et les questions des générations précédentes. L’article aborde brièvement comment les analyses des classes ont évolué historiquement dans les études africaines; ensuite, en utilisant Marx comme point de départ et en suivant une analyse wébérienne, l’article expose les trois facteurs importants dans l’analyse de la classe moyenne et la fabrication d’identités de classe dans un monde globalisé: l’accès à l’éducation aboutissant à des professions salariées, les habitudes de consommation, et les perceptions modernes identitaires.

Keywords

Middle classespostcolonial socioeconomic opportunitieseducationconsumptionself-perception
Type
ARTICLES
Information
African Studies Review , Volume 57 , Issue 1 , April 2014 , pp. 93 - 114
Copyright
Copyright © African Studies Association 2014 

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