February 2021 – LAST201 Blog MS99

The role that the media and film industry plays in creating dominant narratives is one that can’t be overstated, and especially so when we’re talking about the cocaine trade.

Building upon last week’s readings it was really eye-opening for me to learn about the extent to which the people in Bolivia had a connection with the Coca plant, and the role that it played in the economic and social parts of their lives. I remember especially the comparison of the process of Coca farming to the life of a married couple and how it accompanied them throughout their life. I found this to be a stark contrast with how a lot of us, including me, live our lives. I don’t really find myself connected to what I consider sustenance, possibly because I am so disconnected from its own life cycle. But the farmers in Bolivia seem to have a connection with what is such an integral part of their lives.

As fascinating it was to learn about the Coca plant and the farmers in Bolivia, it equally difficult to read about the effects that the war on drugs had on these communities. It was hearing the stories from a first person perspective that really set this piece apart from just learning about it from a disasociated news channel reporter. After learning about the importance that this plant played in the lives of these farmers it was especially distressing to read about thier livelihood being destroyed in such a manner. A lot of my other courses focus on economics and politics, and I find that a lot of the times learning about public policy is detached from the real world effects it causes,. Reading the first hand accounts of effects that foreign policy has on the developing world is something that has given me a new perspective on the issue.

I find that a lot of the narrative given to us about the coca plant is centered around cocaine and the illegal drug trade around it. The associations of the plant with the narcos seems to come from the news and entertainment, and I really believe that it’s important that everyone is made aware of the entire picture.

Has reading these accounts changed the way in which you view the coca plant? Why do you think it’s important to learn about the first hand stories of these farmers?

As I looked into the issue of the Zapatista Corn, the more I am reminded of the importance that agriculture and food play in forming culture. It’s something that I was not really conscious of before, but when I really think about it it seems that so much of what we associate with culture is around daily interactions and celebrations which tend to revolve around food. So it was quite an awakening for me to read about how certain nations and indigenous cultures have to fight and protest to preserve such integral parts of their culture.

This is not the first I had read about the issues that revolve around modern agriculture, having studied the rise of high fructose corn syrup in an economics course I could draw connections with the story of the Zapatistas. The effect on the mass production of corn for corn syrup as a cheaper alternative to sugar has had detrimental effects on the health of Americans on a grand scale, and once can see how such changes to one’s diet can trickle into the cultural realm.

So it makes perfect sense to me that the people of Mexico would be alarmed about the introduction of GMO corn into their crops, not to mention the issue of large American firms such as Monsanto using Mexican land for their production. We can see how the introduction of a new kind of corn would be a threat to agriculture and sustenance which is such a big part of the Mexican culture.

The article brought to my attention the concept of a Biocultural Innovation, something that I was not aware of. In particular, activists using reaching out to farmers about techniques such as genetic testing, seed banking, and the use of global distribution to strengthen the movement against GMO corn.

Can we think of any other similar movements against neoliberal policies that have gained traction in the region and how were their techniques similar or different to that of the Zapatistas?

Month: February 2021

Week 5: The Cultural Life of Coca & The Coca War

Week 4: Zapatista Corn