First Advisor
Dr. Maureen Hickey
Date of Award
Spring 6-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in International & Global Studies: Global Studies and University Honors
Department
International and Global Studies
Language
English
Subjects
China; Belt and Road Initiative (BRI); Dependency Theory; Neo-Colonialism; Africa; International Financial Institutions (IFIs)
Abstract
This thesis examines China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Africa through the frameworks of dependency theory, postcolonial theory, and neo-colonialism. As China’s global economic influence has expanded throughout the twenty-first century, the BRI has emerged as a major source of infrastructure financing and development across the Global South, particularly in Africa. While critics frequently portray the initiative as a form of “debt-trap diplomacy,” supporters argue that Chinese investment offers an alternative to the neoliberal conditionality historically associated with Western-led International Financial Institutions (IFIs) such as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. This study addresses two central research questions: to what extent does the BRI reproduce dependency structures associated with earlier Western development systems, and why does Chinese investment remain attractive to African states despite concerns regarding debt dependency and sovereignty? Using a qualitative comparative case study methodology, this thesis examines Chinese investment in Ethiopia and Nigeria, two states with differing colonial histories, economic structures, and experiences with Western IFIs. The findings suggest that while Chinese financing differs from Western neoliberal development models through its emphasis on infrastructure construction, state-led investment, and non-interference, it nevertheless reproduces certain dependency dynamics through debt exposure and external economic influence. Ultimately, the BRI represents a reconfiguration rather than a complete rejection of global systems of dependency and development within the contemporary international political economy.
Recommended Citation
Freund, Alexander N., "Reconfiguring Dependency: China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Development in Ethiopia and Nigeria" (2026). University Honors Theses. Paper 1851.