Introduction to the Special Issue on Commoditization

Abstract

The environmental consequences of the overconsumption of natural resources are increasingly recognized. This article introduces the theme of this special issue of Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society: commoditization as a mechanism driving societies to overdevelop the economy of market goods and services and the relations of economic exchange; and underdevelop the economy of care and connection and the relations of community and ecosystems. The origins of the author’s development of a theory commoditization are described and traced to questions arising from experience at the 1992 Earth Summit. The traits associated with commodities are contrasted with those nonmarket goods that are inherently difficult to commoditize. The presence or absence of these traits defines “commodity potential.” A Darwinian-like selection pressure is described that privileges those things with high commodity potential. In the competition for the resources of development—energy and material resources and, human attention, ingenuity, and labor—those things with high commodity potential will always outcompete those with low commodity potential. The effects of this commoditization mechanism are explored in the articles in this special issue.

Heirloom rice in Ifugao: an ‘anti-commodity’ in the process of commodification

“…rootedness in place and culture and tradition) and characteristics of high commoditisation potential (as ordinary rice grains they are easily excludable, transferable, standardisable, depersonalised and transportable) (Manno 2012).…”

“…The 'commoditisation potential' of an object is a function of social and material factors and relations that jointly determine how readily it can be made into a commodity, or how strongly it resists commoditisation. Among other factors, an object may be more difficult to commoditise if its valuation depends heavily on its links to a particular context or community (Manno 2012). 7 In the next section, we argue that 'heirloom rice' is a novel concept that facilitates the commodification of Ifugao native rice, but that it does so in a manner that nevertheless seeks to retain and valorise its special connection to a particular people, place, landscape and culture.…”

“…See Pinoy Rice Knowledge Bank (n.d.). 7 Manno (2012) uses the term 'commoditisation' rather than 'commodification'.…”

“…they can be enjoyed exclusively by only a few people). At the same time, however, the heirloom identity seeks to valorise the special connection between the rice varieties and the people and culture of the rice terraces of Ifugao, which is a feature that may be associated with low commoditisation potential (Manno 2012). Some readers may be reminded of the circulation of 'inalienable possessions', whereby objects may change hands while somehow retaining their unbreakable link to their original owners, the 'paradox of keeping while giving' (Weiner 1992).…”

“…To help make sense of this tension, we interpret the emerging trade in heirloom rice varieties as an attempt to commodify native rice in a socially and ethically responsible way, which seeks to maintain the rice varieties' connection to a specific community of producers even while putting the rice into long-distance networks of trade. We employ the concept of commoditisation potential to help explain how this balancing act is attempted (Manno 2012).…”