Abstract The concept of ‘middle class’ in African societies has been recognized recently but at the same time it resists clear-cut definition. Rather than seeking clearer classification, I propose to embrace its contested nature as productive, seeing ‘middle class’ not as a category that we can find ‘out there’ and measure, but as a classification-in-the-making. Middle-class status, or a particular idea of the good life, is a position people strive towards, but what this entails depends on context and place. The study of the pursuit of social mobility in Ghana during colonialism, independence and the post-Cold War period – of those who have successfully improved their livelihoods – provides knowledge about the middle class in the making in different eras and under different conditions. I propose a three-pronged approach to study this processual nature: Raymond Williams’ notion of ‘structures of feeling’ helps unravel the shifting affective qualities of the changing political economy, while Sara Ahmed's focus on the ‘feelings of structure’ zooms in on agency as an important tool to analyse how middle-class trajectories unfold over time. Lastly, the availability of advantageous conditions is not enough to stimulate change; one needs the savoir faire to enact them.

中文翻译：

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结构、感受和技艺：正在形成的加纳中产阶级

摘要 非洲社会中“中产阶级”的概念最近得到了认可，但同时它也拒绝明确定义。与其寻求更清晰的分类，我建议将其有争议的性质视为富有成效的，而不是将“中产阶级”视为我们可以“在那里”找到并衡量的类别，而是将其视为正在制定的分类。中产阶级的地位，或对美好生活的特定观念，是人们努力争取的一种地位，但这需要什么取决于背景和地点。对殖民主义、独立和冷战后时期加纳社会流动性的研究——那些成功改善了生活的人——提供了关于不同时代和不同条件下正在形成的中产阶级的知识。我提出了一种三管齐下的方法来研究这种过程性：雷蒙德·威廉姆斯的“感觉结构”概念有助于揭示不断变化的政治经济中不断变化的情感品质，而萨拉·艾哈迈德对“结构感觉”的关注则放大了能动性作为分析中产阶级轨迹如何随时间展开的重要工具。最后，有利条件的可用性不足以刺激变革；人们需要技巧来制定它们。有利条件的可用性不足以刺激变革；人们需要技巧来制定它们。有利条件的可用性不足以刺激变革；人们需要技巧来制定它们。