Ann Le Mare

Exploring the Power to Change: Fair Trade, Development and Handicraft Production in Bangladesh Ann Le Mare

There is a growing interest in the practices and out comes of Fair Trade, a form of alternative trading based on long term partnerships, a fair wage/price and a commitment to capacity building. This book is based on research in Bangladesh on the handicraft industry, where Bangladeshi Fair Trade businesses sell to Fair Trade buyers in the UK. The book reviews the philosophy and institutional practices of Fair Trade enterprises, and then analyses the developmental impact of Fair Trade production on the individual artisans and their families. The analysis highlights practices that have a beneficial affect on social and economic development, and includes ideas for policy and practice for both Southern and Northern enterprises involved in Fair Trade. The book will be of interest to staff and practitioners in Fair Trade organizations, to consumers and activists, to development professionals, and to academics engaged in issues of equality, poverty and social justice.