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Abstract This article examines the commodity chain and value chain of half-litre water bags (referred to as 'pure water' or 'sachet water') in Niamey, Niger. We begin with a focus [...]

This article considers the impact of commodification, urbanization, and technology on water systems and cultural relations in the urban context of Niamey, Niger. We focus on the lives and work of water vendors (called ga'ruwa in Hausa) working in the informal economy. Fieldwork in 2013 and 2014 sought answers to two related questions. First, why are ga'ruwa jobs in Niamey dominated by immigrant men? And, second, why do Nigerien men in Niamey avoid this job, even in light of high unemployment? We argue that ga'ruwa offer a conduit for understanding key cultural symbols, values, and social relationships that lead to answers to these questions, but that we also must understand symbols, values, and social relationships to understand the ga'ruwa themselves., Introduction In Niger, water is a matter of life and death, and a key multivalent symbol. In this paper, we offer a holistic examination of water in Niamey--the capital of [...]

Listening to radio programs was once a family/community event that connected listeners to both place and time. Today, amidst marketing concerns and Top 40 hits, commercial radio has become a [...]