Mark Moberg – författare

Bringing together the work of anthropologists, sociologists, economists, historians, and geographers, this collection reveals how the banana industry marshaled workers of differing nationalities, ethnicities, and languages and, in so doing, created unprecedented potential for conflict throughout Latin American and the Caribbean. The frequently abusive conditions that banana workers experienced, the contributors point out, gave rise to one of Latin America’s earliest and most militant labor movements. Responding to both the demands of workers’ organizations and the power of U.S. capital, Latin American governments were inevitably affected by banana production. Banana Wars explores how these governments sometimes asserted their sovereignty over foreign fruit companies, but more often became their willing accomplices. With several essays focusing on the operations of the extraordinarily powerful United Fruit Company, the collection also examines the strategies and reactions of the American and European corporations seeking to profit from the sale of bananas grown by people of different cultures working in varied agricultural and economic environments.

ContributorsPhilippe BourgoisMarcelo BucheliDario EuraqueCindy ForsterLawrence GrossmanMark MobergLaura T. RaynoldsKarla SlocumJohn SoluriSteve StrifflerAllen Wells

The updated third edition of this book critically reconsiders the history of anthropological theory. Covering key concepts and theorists in a lively style, Engaging Anthropological Theory examines the historical context of anthropological ideas and the contested nature of anthropology itself. The book illustrates how anthropological ideas about human diversity are rooted in historical conditions, including the West’s relationship with colonized societies and the politics of scholarly inquiry itself. Exploring anthropological ideas in context helps students understand how they evolved and how they relate to society and history. This new edition pays close attention to non-canonical figures and scholars of color whose contributions are too often bypassed in disciplinary histories. Students and instructors will also appreciate the open-ended review questions for each chapter that stimulate critical thought and discussion. Extensively illustrated throughout, this engaging text moves away from the dry recitation of past viewpoints in anthropology and shows their continued relevance to modern life.

The updated third edition of this book critically reconsiders the history of anthropological theory. Covering key concepts and theorists in a lively style, Engaging Anthropological Theory examines the historical context of anthropological ideas and the contested nature of anthropology itself. The book illustrates how anthropological ideas about human diversity are rooted in historical conditions, including the West’s relationship with colonized societies and the politics of scholarly inquiry itself. Exploring anthropological ideas in context helps students understand how they evolved and how they relate to society and history. This new edition pays close attention to non-canonical figures and scholars of color whose contributions are too often bypassed in disciplinary histories. Students and instructors will also appreciate the open-ended review questions for each chapter that stimulate critical thought and discussion. Extensively illustrated throughout, this engaging text moves away from the dry recitation of past viewpoints in anthropology and shows their continued relevance to modern life.

During the 1990s, the Eastern Caribbean was caught in a bitter trade dispute between the US and EU over the European banana market. When the World Trade Organization rejected preferential access for Caribbean growers in 1998 the effect on the region’s rural communities was devastating. This volume examines the “banana wars” from the vantage point of St. Lucia’s Mabouya Valley, whose recent, turbulent history reveals the impact of global forces. The author investigates how the contemporary structure of the island’s banana industry originated in colonial policies to create a politically “stable” peasantry, followed by politicians’ efforts to mobilize rural voters. These political strategies left farmers dependent on institutional and market protection, leaving them vulnerable to any alteration in trade policy. This history gave way to a new harsh reality, in which neoliberal policies privilege price and quantity over human rights and the environment. However, against these challenges, the author shows how the rural poor have responded in creative ways, including new social movements and Fair Trade farming, in order to negotiate a stronger position for themselves in the in a shifting global economy.