Paper: “Beauty is in the eye of….”, value competition, alignment, and conflict in the development of transnational trade in resources
Frank Veraart, Maliene Kip – Eindhoven University of Technology
Maite van den Borre, Bram Bouwens – Utrecht University
20 September 2024
Trade in global resources has intensified over the last two centuries as industrializing societies explored new resources in the Global South. Developing resource networks cemented (neo)colonial interdependencies and affected economic, social, and environmental developments. Additionally, science and technological developments opened new possibilities with unfamiliar resources in industrial processes. This paper highlights the developments of use- values and exchange-values which have influenced the construction of transnational trade-networks. It investigates the plurality of use-values, i.e. the ability to satisfy human needs, by studying use-value propositions, the attribution of use-values through modern science practices, and diffusion of use-values through knowledge-politics. Furthermore, it explores the influence of technological developments in changing exchange-values, which opened global markets for interchangeable commodities. The paper presents first insights into research projects on edible oils and metal production as a lens to investigate these dynamics, which are crucial to explain trends and shifts in resource trade flows.
Link: https://www.zip.europa-uni.de/en/4_veranstaltungen/toe24/index.html