An Anthropological Study on the Global Commodity Circuit for Ghanaian Handicrafts

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H06300
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Cultural anthropology
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: USHIKU Haruka 長崎大学, 多文化社会学部, 戦略職員 (10759377)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-08-28 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 手工芸品 / 現代消費文化 / 流通 / 企業 / ガーナ / 「顔の見える」関係

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study examines how the global commodity circuit for Bolga baskets, a Ghanaian handicraft item, has been maintained by analyzing the associated marketing/consumption practices. Five different, partly overlapping circuits of consumption are identified. This multiplicity of consumption circuits provides markets for the various kinds of baskets. While some circuits emphasize alternative consumption practices, the results of interviews with retailers and analysis of consumers’ blogs and online reviews suggests that consumers actually demand higher-quality baskets of moderate prices. This study then examines the trading practices wholesalers employ to meet the demands of “picky” consumers and the former’s relationship with weavers and local middlemen. It describes the circuits cannot be maintained without flexible trading practices based on the holistic understandings of the life in the basket-producing villages, which leads to an adequate supply of higher-quality baskets.

Free Research Field

地域研究、文化人類学