Anthropology and the Fair Trade Movement Available to Purchase

In a world of increasing poverty, anthropologists have used their knowledge and research as proactive agents for marginalized producers who strive to meet the task of daily survival. Among the many strategies developed to improve the plight of impoverished peoples at home and abroad, one area that has particularly enhanced producers' livelihoods and standard of living is the Fair Trade movement. A global grassroots movement, fair trade fosters democratic and equitable international production and exchange. Small-scale craft, clothing and agricultural producers throughout the world trade directly with US, Canadian, European, Japanese, Australian, and New Zealand marketers who guarantee fair prices and other services.¹ A number of anthropologists are currently working in the Fair Trade movement as advisors, consultants, curators and marketers (Grimes and Milgram 2000).