The Racial-Ecological Politics of the Chinese Crayfish Trade in Kenya

The second segment of the Anthropology J-term Speaker Series will feature a talk by Amanda Kaminsky ‘13. In Kenya, where a small Chinese community is establishing itself as a result of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, locally sourced crayfish are common in Chinese markets and restaurants. Kenyans themselves, however, rarely eat crayfish and often regard them as invasive pests. Building on fieldwork tracing crayfish through central Kenya’s lakes and waterways, this talk will examine how the political construction of the crayfish as an invasive species has contributed to its recent decline. These narratives about invasiveness offer a window into the racialized suspicion surrounding Chinese investment and migration in Kenya.
- Sponsored by:
- Anthropology; Food Studies
Contact Organizer
Harder, Caitlin
harder@middlebury.edu
802-443-2248