Overview
* Illustrates how Mexican communities cope with NAFTA’s effects
* Written by a team of US and Mexican collaborators
* Shows importance of trade regulations on poor communities worldwide
How is the current model for economic globalization affecting both the poor and the environment? Confronting Globalization extends a sweeping treatment of contemporary Mexican politics as they investigate the country’s tumultuous experience under the North American Free Trade Agreement.
The contributors relate globalization’s untold stories: its social and environmental costs, and the grassroots quest for alternative paths. They reveal to us how vulnerable people in rural communities are choosing to defend themselves and promote their own homegrown alternatives in the face of adversity.
Synopsis
This volume presents nine case studies describing some of the creative ways in which Mexican people are responding to the detrimental effects of globalization on their communities and the environment. Written by researcher/activists in the U.S. and Mexico, the contributions tell inspiring stories of resistance, including the struggle for safe working conditions in the manufacturing industry and the collective marketing of "fair trade" coffee by indigenous producers. Annotation ©2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
Editorials
From the Publisher
"A combination of excellent editing and a shared intellectual framework lend this volume a remarkable coherence in analysis and tone. This is an important read for anyone interested in grassroots responses to globalization and will be especially useful to scholars, students, and others interested in social justice struggles in contemporary Mexico.""Makes a unique contribution to enlightened thinking about globalization. These closely observed experiences in Mexico will be useful to people all over the world who are determined to create societies that put human needs before corporate profits."
"Finally a book that resists globalization but also gives alternatives. . .in light of the recent FTAA protests, this book is ideal for anyone interested in learning about globalization from the very people it affects."
"Offers a grounding in how trade policies affect vulnerable communities and the environment."
"Should be required reading for the university-level scholar, the politicians who create trade policy, and social activists who seek to ameliorate the harm caused by globalization."