Sugar and the Making of International Trade Law

Description

This book traces the changing meanings of free trade over the past century through three sugar treaties and their concomitant institutions. The 1902 Brussels Convention is an example of how free trade buttressed the British Empire. The 1937 International Sugar Agreement is a story of how a group of Cubans renegotiated their state's colonial relationship with the US through free trade doctrine and the League of Nations. In addition, the study of the 1977 International Sugar Agreement maps the world of international trade law through a plethora of institutions such as the ITO, UNCTAD, GATT and international commodity agreements - all against the backdrop of competing Third World agendas. Through a legal study of free trade ideas, interests and institutions, this book highlights how the line between the state and market, domestic and international, and public and private is always a matter of contest.

Michael Fakhri is an assistant professor at the University of Oregon School of Law, where he teaches courses in international economic law, food law and agricultural law.

'... interesting ... should appeal to scholars from a number of disciplines including historians, political scientists and economists.' Alan Swinbank, International Trade Law and Regulation 'This is an excellent contribution to the literature on international trade law. It is remarkable in terms of its rigorous analysis of an important and neglected dimension of its history, the fresh perspective it offers on established conceptions about free trade and in terms of its broader implications for the future of the trade regime. The text assumes a significant level of familiarity with literature on international trade law. It is likely to be of interest to academics in the field or in related areas such as international development and institutional studies. It is also an informative and thought-provoking read for those involved in trade practice and policy-making.' Anna Chadwick, European Journal of International Law 'The main thesis of Michael Fakhri, a professor of international trade and food law at the University of Oregon, is that international law fundamentally contributed to the transformation of a simple plant into a global product. With a fine use of history, he explores the role of three international treaties in the expansion of sugar-related industrial interests: the Brussels Sugar Convention of 1902 and two international commodity agreements - the International Sugar Agreements (ISAs) of 1937 and 1977 ... a critical attempt to make sense of change over time using three case studies to explore one product in detail.' Sergio Puig, The American Journal of International Law 'Sugar and the Making of international Trade Law provides a great addition to undergraduate or graduate courses on food justice, global studies, international trade, economic concepts, and postecolonialism. Scholars and advocates will relish its topical insights, while teachers will enjoy working through its approach with students.' Ernesto Hernandez-Lopez, Gastronomica