The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy: An Economist Examines the Markets,
Power, and Politics of World Trade
Pietra Rivoli
Christina Ast
QU 301-36 New Security Challenges
March 4th, 2013
This study source was downloaded by 100000850872992 from CourseHero.com on 04-10-2023 10:51:06 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/8879960/book-review-2/
, The Travels of a T-shirt in the Global Economy: An Economist Examines the
Markets, Power, and Politics of World Trade, by Pietra Rivoli, is a nonfiction book that
examines the journey of a plain old T-shirt throughout the world. The book was published
in Hoboken, New Jersey by John Wiley & Sons Inc. Rivoli is a professor of finance and
international business at George Washington University, making her a perfect candidate
to explain the economics and politics of a T-shirt as it journeys from cotton fields in
Texas to China and back to the United States to usually be donated to the African market.
Rivoli follows the journey of a T-shirt throughout several markets herself by taking off
five years to travel the world and gain a first hand experience of globalization. The theme
of the book is to illustrate the many elements that are involved in global trade such as
people, businesses, politics, and economics. She also mentions the environmental impacts
resulting from industrialization and trade. Rivoli’s focus on a specific product, the T-shirt,
makes it easier for the reader to follow the journey a product takes throughout the world.
The thesis of the book is to teach the reader about the relationship between the simple T-
shirt and global trade and how there are arguments both for and against global trade.
The first part of the book focuses on the beginning of a T-shirt’s journey, the
cotton industry. Rivoli states, “Over 200 years, the United States has been the undisputed
leader in the global cotton industry” (5). Out of all countries in the world, the United
States has the most advanced techniques for cotton production such as Eli Whitney’s
cotton gin (15). The government plays an important role in America’s success, as it is a
main provider of subsidies for farmers. Farmers have an advantage due to these subsidies
and also take advantage of ways to avoid engaging in the market by hiring sharecroppers
for cheap labor (20). This allows farmers to “suppress and avoid competition”, although
This study source was downloaded by 100000850872992 from CourseHero.com on 04-10-2023 10:51:06 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/8879960/book-review-2/
Power, and Politics of World Trade
Pietra Rivoli
Christina Ast
QU 301-36 New Security Challenges
March 4th, 2013
This study source was downloaded by 100000850872992 from CourseHero.com on 04-10-2023 10:51:06 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/8879960/book-review-2/
, The Travels of a T-shirt in the Global Economy: An Economist Examines the
Markets, Power, and Politics of World Trade, by Pietra Rivoli, is a nonfiction book that
examines the journey of a plain old T-shirt throughout the world. The book was published
in Hoboken, New Jersey by John Wiley & Sons Inc. Rivoli is a professor of finance and
international business at George Washington University, making her a perfect candidate
to explain the economics and politics of a T-shirt as it journeys from cotton fields in
Texas to China and back to the United States to usually be donated to the African market.
Rivoli follows the journey of a T-shirt throughout several markets herself by taking off
five years to travel the world and gain a first hand experience of globalization. The theme
of the book is to illustrate the many elements that are involved in global trade such as
people, businesses, politics, and economics. She also mentions the environmental impacts
resulting from industrialization and trade. Rivoli’s focus on a specific product, the T-shirt,
makes it easier for the reader to follow the journey a product takes throughout the world.
The thesis of the book is to teach the reader about the relationship between the simple T-
shirt and global trade and how there are arguments both for and against global trade.
The first part of the book focuses on the beginning of a T-shirt’s journey, the
cotton industry. Rivoli states, “Over 200 years, the United States has been the undisputed
leader in the global cotton industry” (5). Out of all countries in the world, the United
States has the most advanced techniques for cotton production such as Eli Whitney’s
cotton gin (15). The government plays an important role in America’s success, as it is a
main provider of subsidies for farmers. Farmers have an advantage due to these subsidies
and also take advantage of ways to avoid engaging in the market by hiring sharecroppers
for cheap labor (20). This allows farmers to “suppress and avoid competition”, although
This study source was downloaded by 100000850872992 from CourseHero.com on 04-10-2023 10:51:06 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/8879960/book-review-2/
