FWP1

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University of Wisconsin, Madison *

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104

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Anthropology

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Apr 3, 2024

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Anthropology 104 Fieldwork Project 1 | Commodity Chain Analysis Project Journal Name: TA Name: Discussion Section Number: Semester and Year: Spring 2024 Getting Started Welcome to your journal assignments for Fieldwork Project 1! Please add your information to this template (above), rename and save it in Microsoft Word .docx or .doc format. Make sure the filename includes your name and the name of the assignment (FWP1). (Example) FWP1 Wendy Liu.docx Submission: The project journal will be completed in several steps. You will be submitting this same journal file multiple times in different stages of writing, in response to each journal assignment below. If you do not submit the file to Canvas by the deadline you will not be awarded points for that journal assignment. For the first assignment you are only expected to complete Journal 1.1 (the others will still be blank). By the end of the project, all the assignments in your journal will be filled in. Journal 1.1 | Reading Response Instructions & Expectations Before you begin this writing assignment:  Read the article “How Sushi Went Global” by Theodore Besto r. Download PDF from Canvas.  Watch the NPR video series “Planet Money Makes A T-Shirt”. Follow links on Canvas. Write 2-4 sentences in response to each of the question below. The first question has been completed as an example. DUE DATE: This assignment needs to be completed by 11:59pm the day BEFORE your Discussion Section in Week 4 . (Example) How has the demand for tuna changed over time? Tuna has been a popular food in Japan for centuries. Today, millions of pounds of it are sold every day in Tokyo’s wholesale seafood market. In North America, sushi was a largely unheard during the early 20th century, but during late 20th century it became a trendy food in American cities, as well as in Europe and Latin America. Consuming sushi became a sign of class status, education, and taste, and so the demand for tuna grew and the price per pound became very high. 1. Describe the locations, technologies, and workers involved in producing tuna for sushi restaurants. Japan is the world’s primary market for fresh tuna to make sushi. It is in extremely high demand, so it sells to 1 Anthropology 104 | Field Work Project 1

bidders and is then shipped to other countries and sold for very high prices. Globalization (planes, jets) allows for the transportation of tuna so that sushi with fresh tuna can be enjoyed all over the world. Fisherman play a very important role because without them, no buyers would be able to get the tuna. Also, the migration of the tuna plays a big role because they migrate and eventually became a commercial species in New England. 2. How does the fact that tuna is sold internationally effect fishers’ livelihoods? Fisherman get a lot of money for the tuna since it is such high demand in other countries. At the same time, the market can be a very unreliable space. At one point the demand is so high they can barely keep up and market prices are higher than ever, and the next day it could all change. Their lives and income are solely based off of if they sell fish or not, which is very risky. 3. Describe the locations, technologies, and workers involved in making a t-shirt. Cotton T-shirts start as plain cotton on cotton farms. In this video, the cotton started at the Mississippi Delta cotton farm. They have machines that automatically pick the cotton. It is then transported all around the world to factories where the cotton goes from cotton, to yarn, and then to fabric. It mentioned factories in Bangladesh and Colombia where workers work in poor conditions and are paid terribly. Once the shirts are made, they are shipped all over the world via many transportation systems. 4. Describe some of the differences between working at a t-shirt factory in Bangladesh versus Columbia. Bangladesh is said to be a lot poorer than Colombia. The story of a lady named Jasmine was shared and they said that she gets paid $80 a month and works 6 days a week. She works in Bangladesh and has been doing it she was 16. Doris, from Colombia, makes 4 times as much as Jasmine. 5. What did you find most interesting, important, and/or confusing about the article and the video series? What I found most interesting about the article was how much of an influence Japan had in the popularity of sushi. I knew that it is considered a Japanese food but I had no idea about the market behind it and the tuna fishing industry. What I found most interesting about the video was the fact that 4 million women in Bangladesh work in the factories. It makes me feel bad for not even thinking twice about where the clothes comes from that I put on my body every single day. 6. What have you learned from the article and the video series that may be useful to you when you conduct a commodity chain study yourself? I have learned that so many people are affected by changes in the market, not just business men as it is portrayed. The fisherman are affected by the sales of their fish, and the factory workers are affected by the demand of the products they are making. It is useful and important to know about the different things going on in the world, and how our choices/purchases in the US can affect people. Journal 1.2 | Commodity Choice Instructions & Expectations You are going to do your own commodity chain analysis about one of the types of commodities from the list below. During your discussion section, you should have started thinking about which type of commodity will be most interesting for you to research.  coffee 2 Anthropology 104 | Field Work Project 1

 laptop  Electric vehicle After you have selected the type of commodity, pick a specific brand of that commodity (e.g. Starbucks Coffee, Apple Laptop, etc.). Make sure to choose a specific brand that, based on your preliminary research in discussion section, appears to have relevant sources about its production available online. Remember:  Choose a commodity that will be interesting for you to explore.  Choose a commodity that, based on your preliminary research, appears to have enough relevant sources. Task Based on the work you did in discussion section, write down your choice of commodity, the specific brand, and a brief explanation of why you chose it in the space provided below. Your TA will review these and advise you which one(s) likely to be successful for your research. Please review your TA’s feedback on Canvas before proceeding with your project. DUE DATE: This assignment needs to be completed by 11:59pm the day AFTER your Discussion Section in Week 4 (e.g. if your discussion section meets on Monday, your Research Questions are due by 11:59pm on Tuesday). Commodity Choice Type of commodity Coffee Brand of commodity Starbucks Coffee Why did you choose this commodity? (1-2 sentences) I chose this commodity because Starbucks is always my #1 choice when I am going to get coffee, so I am actually curious about its background and the process of how it is made. Journal 1.3 | Commentary on Sources Instructions & Expectations For this Journal entry you will need to find at least five sources that provide you with information about the production of your commodity. These sources should be either newspaper articles or reports written by governments or non- governmental organizations. These sources should not include editorials/opinion pieces, blog entries, or personal websites. Look at the questions for your next Journal (1.4) and use these questions to guide your research. Succeeding in your Research To find answers to these questions, begin by looking at the website for the brand you selected. What information do they have about the production of their commodity? Take notes on what you find. While you read, consider how the goals of the company may shape what information is included and how it is presented. Another obvious starting point is Wikipedia. You can read this for relevant information and ideas, but it will not count as one of your sources. 3 Anthropology 104 | Field Work Project 1

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