In the market but not for the market : civil society participation, collective action, organic farming and fair trade : a case study of Unión Majomut and its impact on the living conditions of its members

Abstract

This thesis explores the results of trade liberalization, which took place in Mexico in the 1980s and gave birth to many changes in the organization of its productive sectors. The coffee sector, composed mainly of small-scale producers from indigenous communities, was one the most affected because of the volatility in coffee prices and the dismantling of the institutions that gave financial and technical assistance. Therefore, small-scale coffee producers have explored alternatives within the new dynamics of the process of globalization. This thesis uses as its case study Unión Majomut, a small-scale coffee producer organization. The findings of this research, which focus on civil society participation and collective action alongside the practices of organic farming and fair trade, reveal that small-scale producer organizations could be an effective means to survive the impact of neoliberalism.