ABSTRACT

This book explores globalization as actually experienced by most of the world’s people, buying goods from street vendors brought by traders moving past borders and across continents under the radar of the law. The dimensions and practices of ‘globalization from below’ are depicted and analyzed in detail by a team of international scholars. Topics covered include the ‘New Silk Road’, African traders in China, street hawking in Calcutta and pirate CDs in Mexico. The chapters provide intimate portrayals of routes, markets and people in locations across the globe and explore theories that can help make sense of these complex and fascinating case studies. Students of globalization, economic anthropology and developing-world economics will find the book invaluable.

chapter |15 pages

Introduction

What is globalization from below?

part |120 pages

Embodying globalization from below

chapter |17 pages

Hong Kong petty capitalists investing in China

Risk tolerance, uncertain investment environments, success and failure

chapter |18 pages

From secondhand clothing to cosmetics

How Philippine–Hong Kong entrepreneurs fill gaps in cross-border trade

chapter |16 pages

Mexican “ant traders” in the El Paso/Ciudad JuÁrez border region

Tensions between globalization, securitization and new mobility regimes

chapter |17 pages

African traders in Guangzhou

Routes, reasons, profits, dreams

chapter |15 pages

In the shadow of the mall

Street hawking in global Calcutta

chapter |18 pages

Local politics and globalization from below

The peddler leaders of Mexico City's historic center streets

chapter |15 pages

Conclusion

Globalization from below and the non-hegemonic world-system