Assessing Fair Trade: A Regulationist Perspective

STARICCO, JUAN IGNACIO

Milán

Simposio; 5th Fair Trade International Symposium; 2015

Politecnico di Milano

This paper presents an approach for the assessment of the Fair Trade certified initiative governed by Fairtrade International. This perspective builds on the main concepts developed by the French Regulation Approach and its sectorial adaptation. The main focus of such an analysis will go beyond traditional impact studies ? whose interest is usually limited to the development of indicators and its measurement through the use of quantitative data ? and center its attention on the way in which Fair Trade structures and institutionalizes socioeconomic relations. In this way, an innovative theoretical and methodological approach for the study of Fair Trade will be provided, making it possible to assess how alternative a Fair Trade mode of regulation is and the particular effects of its coupling with particular ?conventional? economic sectors.