globalization.docx
Globalization is a dual process. We are increasingly integrated into a world economy,
and, at the same time, the world is increasingly fragmented by class and culture. Following the links of a food chain or material item is one means of understanding
globalization and its impact on our lives.
First, select one of the topics below to examine the origins and supply chain in the production and distribution of food and/or cotton. What are the social conditions
of production and distribution? If you choose Monsanto, you would want to focus on the impact of multinational corporations on the conditions of production and distribution
on the lives of the workers/farmers, and on what is provided in the food markets (or supermarkets) in the U. S.
Second, read and summarize at least three articles from the online resources listed
below. You might want to choose a combination of topics, or you may choose only
one topic. Third, you will need to interview a) a manager at a supermarket (you choose)
or b) a manager or salesperson at a clothing store if you choose cotton. Ask if he/she has information about the origin of a particular food item you are researching There is a chain of transactions before the food arrives at the supermarket. Does the packaging contain information about the origin of the food.
If you choose to examine cotton, interview a manager at a clothing store to find out
the origin of the cotton used in the particular item of clothing (cotton, of course).
Does the label contain that information? Or, does it only list the point of manufacture?
Note: All of the listed online resources may contain info on all of the possible topics
to be examined. However, I have listed what I know to be included.
If you have trouble locating the items online, let me know.
The references chosen are only a partial listing of possibilities. They are publications
that provide information that is often not presented in the corporately owned mainstream
news media on a routine basis.
Topics:
l. The Cotton Chain: the facts
2. Shrimp
3. Cocoa
4. Coffee
5. Tomatoes
6. Multinational Corporations: Monsanto (based in St. Louis, Missouri) for cotton,
soy, etc.
Cargill (Canada), Cadbury, Hershey for Cocoa
Goldman Sachs (Wall Street Firm, New York),
selling derivatives, generated “food crisis” and
higher prices.
Resources:
In addition to reading the section in the textbook on Globalization, you should consult the following: (depending on your interest):
The New Internationalist: http://www.newint.org
See for Cocoa, Ivory Coast, Child Labor, Migrant Labor
See for Cotton, Uzbekistan, India, Monsanto
See issue “Banking on Hunger”
See for Soy (Brazil), Cotton (Monsanto)
Mother Jones: http://www.motherjones.com
See for Shrimp (great links at the end of the article)
http://www.motherjones.com/print/164181
Nation of Change: http://www.nationofchange.org
See for several articles on Monsanto and Genetically Modified Crops,
USDA policy, Brazil, India, Cotton, Soy
(articles specifically on 2/12, 2/15, 2/18, 2/29 in 2012 plus later)
Common Dreams: http://www.commondreams.org
Similar information is found in the NOC.
Foreign Policy: http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles
See article on “How Goldman Sachs Created the Food Crises”.
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/04/27
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/01/10
GRAIN (Genetic Resources Action International):
http://www.grain.org/seedling/?id=559
re: India
You might also want to check PBS and NPR:
http://www.pbs.org
http://www.npr.org
There was a recent segment on Cocoa, Ivory Coast
Note: If you choose tomatoes, I shall provide you with some references. Other topics
in which you might be interested is the impact of NAFTA on immigration, the organization of a global assembly line and the consequences for workers, and/or
the impact on the environment of China’s rapid industrialization. Issues having to do
with “Fair Trade” vs Free Trade are interesting to explore.
If you have a different topic that is relevant to a study of globalization that you would
like to explore, let me know. Music? Art?
keeda
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