Cotton (Resources) - Softcover

Sneyd, Adam

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0745681980 ISBN 13: 9780745681986

Publisher: Polity, 2016

Synopsis

Whether we are out on the streets or between the sheets, cotton is our constant companion. But behind this ubiquitous fibre prized for its softness lies a darker story of exploitation and hardship. In this penetrating analysis, Adam Sneyd explores the power politics that envelop cotton as major corporate players and countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas compete to control it.

In the aftermath of sweatshop scandal exposés and factory collapse disasters, merchants and retailers have called for better cotton farming practices. But in seeking to prevent the next transnational media circus, will companies simply end up cementing business-as-usual? Corporate public relations strategy now competes directly with the voices of an alternative global community that seeks to fundamentally transform the way that cotton is farmed. Yet these demands for cotton to work better for people and the planet have flown under the radar as media attention has focused instead on farmer subsidies and prices. From the local to the global, this book takes the reader on an illuminating journey through the multifaceted and often grubby politics of the fluffy white stuff in the world economy. The pile of political laundry it uncovers is voluminous but, as Sneyd argues, must be aired in the interests of sustainability and development.

About this title

About the Author:

Adam Sneyd is Professor of Political Science at the University of Guelph

Review:

"This is a vividly told, interrogative read that establishes its author as a leading expert on the politics of commodities and development"
LSE Review of Books

"A wonderful book that teaches us about history, globalization, geography, farming systems, labor, markets, politics and international trade. Sneyd provides a comprehensive overview of this remarkable commodity, while making a clear and persuasive argument about the need for alternative cotton production systems."
William G. Moseley, Macalester College

"An important exposé of the cotton industry that opens our eyes to the way many businesses manipulate the media – and all of us. A telling example of why we all should look for and expose the story behind the story."
John Perkins, Author of Confessions of an Economic Hit Man

About this edition

• Publisher: Polity
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 0745681980
• ISBN 13: 9780745681986
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 224