On May 30, 2024, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, the Sub-Saharan African Studies Research Group of the Institute for International and Area Studies (IIAS) at Tsinghua University hosted the second lecture of the 20223-2024 spring semester “Staffing and the formation of an 'Pockets of Effectiveness': the case of institutional reform in the Uganda National Roads Authority”. The lecture was held both online and offline and was delivered by Dr. Zhou Hang, Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science, Laval University, Canada. The event was moderated by Mr. Wang Shujian, a PhD Candidate in the Developing Country Studies Program at IIAS, Tsinghua University.
About 60 people attended the lecture, including IIAS faculty members and doctoral students, scholars and students from both home and abroad, and others interested in the topic.
At the beginning of the lecture, Dr. Zhou systematically explained the mechanism construction of Uganda's road sector, and provided the historical background of the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA).
The next part of the lecture focused on Dr. Zhou's one-year field research experience at the UNRA. He introduced the definition of “Pockets of Effectiveness” and reviewed the relevant literature. Drawing from his field research, Dr. Zhou discussed a series of reforms implemented by Allen Kagina, the Executive Director of UNRA, and examined how these reforms helped UNRA assemble proto-bureaucratic human resources. Dr. Zhou emphasized that the “Pockets of Effectiveness” should be viewed as precarious, practical, and contingent achievement, deeply embedded within a context of patronage and social practices, rather than isolated phenomena. He also shared his observations and experiences regarding the recruitment process and practices at UNRA.
During the Q&A session, Dr. Zhou engaged in a lively discussion with IIAS students and faculty, as well as other online and offline participants. Topics included community relations in Uganda, balancing work, research, and personal life during the fieldwork, ensuring institutional efficiency during UNRA reforms, and the future of China-Africa cooperation.
Dr. Zhou Hang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Laval University, Canada (joining in Fall 2024). He received his Ph.D. in Politics and International Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in 2021. His doctoral dissertation focused on institutional reforms, sectoral restructuring, and the daily work practices of its public servants in Uganda's road sector. Following his Ph.D., he completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Chr. Michelsen Institute in Norway, where he researched fisheries and crew livelihoods in the West African region (Guinea-Bissau). Dr. Zhou's research interests include development politics, South-South cooperation, the anthropology of the sea, and bureaucratic practices in Africa. His academic papers have been published on African Affairs, International Journal of Heritage Studies, Revue internationale des études du développement, Marine Policy, etc.
