Fair Trade

‘These days ‘fair trade’ evokes associations of product labels and certification schemes. In his book Fair Trade: Humanitarianism in the Age of Postcolonial Globalization, Peter van Dam offers a rich historical account of the transnational fair trade movement. He shows how certification was only one of many strategies discussed by activists to make global trade relations more just. The movement was much more diverse than present-day associations might suggest and contestation about the goals and means of fair trade a constant in its history.’ Liesbeth van de Grift, Utrecht University

‘Peter van Dam's book is a must-read for anyone interested in global social movements, humanitarianism and post-colonialism. The meticulously researched book shows that fair trade movements and decolonization have been siblings since the 1950's. In troubled times, Peter van Dam encourages us to think about the role of hope in local activism, about alternative economies in global capitalism and about the attempts to diminish social inequalities. Although the movement failed to achieve the latter, the local lens provides us with historical examples of global relations, political struggles and international solidarity that will be indispensable as the climate crisis progresses.’ Sandra Maß, Ruhr-Universität Bochum

‘This groundbreaking and elegantly written study on the fair trade movement is a real tread. By positioning his protagonists between local activism and the emergence of a global humanitarian ‘market place’, Peter van Dam has written a book, that will soon become a standard reference for historians in the field.’ Daniel Roger Maul, University of Oslo

‘Fair trade has been an amazingly resilient idea, and Peter van Dam brilliantly analyzes how that rallying cry has evolved since the 1950s. His history offers many provocative insights into the activism born of globalization.’ Adam Rome, University at Buffalo

‘This exploration of how principled but practical people have evolved and negotiated Fair Trade principles and material practices is a timely reminder of the intricate connections between Fair Trade and social movements at multiple levels, indeed its roots in transnational collaboration and advocacy for economic justice.’ Anne Tallontire, University of Leeds

‘Van Dam has written a book about ‘fair trade,’ a movement that began in the 1950s and took root in the 1960s to address poverty in low-income countries. … The fair trade movement was more than an economic initiative for higher prices and wages, and the chapter on coffee makes clear that the movement's proponents were and still are against free trade and capitalism. But how effective and successful has the fair trade movement been? … Van Dam notes that ‘the glass is currently half full at best.’ A measurable success requires much more effort from the movement's advocates. Recommended.’ F. Rassekh, Choice