A First Look at Coffee and Justice

Part 1: History and Justice Issues

Coffee has a complex history and is integral to the lives of many around the globe today. In these activities and readings, you will begin to learn about the importance of coffee in our world, the history of coffee, the injustices present in the coffee industry, and some ways that people are seeking justice. The hope is that by the end of this “first look” you will have a foundational understanding of coffee and justice that will help you engage more deeply as you explore the rest of this unit.

In Part 1 of this activity, you will consider the role of coffee in your life and learn about the importance of coffee in the world today.

Then, in Part 2 of this activity, you will learn about the history of coffee and injustice, as well as some ways that people and organizations are seeking a more just coffee system.

Why Consider Coffee?

Most people interact with hundreds of different products every day, all of which have implications for the people and ecosystems that produce them. Out of all of these products, why focus on coffee?

Coffee is unique in both its local and global importance. Locally, coffee is a significant part of US and West Michigan culture. Think about the role of coffee in your own life and your community. Even if you are not a coffee drinker yourself, you likely know many others who are. What would their lives be like without coffee?

Activity: Coffee in your life

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List some of the ways you encounter coffee in your daily life. Think of the role of coffee in your life, in the lives of those around you, and in West Michigan / Hope College culture.

What is the Importance of Coffee Today in the Global South and North?

To understand why just coffee matters, we need to understand the global reach of coffee choices. We’ll be learning about this all throughout this unit, but let’s start with some basics.

Coffee: An Overview

Check out this infographic about the importance of coffee around the world created by the Coffee Tasting Club and shared by the Nation Coffee Association.

What most stands out to you? What surprised or interested you?

Pick a couple of the facts on this chart and consider their implications. Write a few questions you have based on the chart.

For example:

What caused this reality?
What does this mean for people in the consuming countries in the Global North?
What does this mean for coffee producers in the Global South?

Activity: Fairtrade Risk Map

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Using this interactive map from Fairtrade International, select “coffee” under "commodities" and choose one of the highlighted countries. What are the most salient issues that this country faces?

Then, click "Risk Assessment" to view the stats on your chosen country. Choose 2-3 areas that are "high concern" or "concern." Briefly describe how your chosen country rates in these areas and what these measurements mean.

What is the History of Justice Issues in the Coffee Industry?

In the following sections, you will learn about the history of coffee and the justice issues present in the coffee industry. As you read, reflect on the key questions for each section, and note a few important events. You will use these events to create a coffee timeline at the end of this activity.

Early History

Check out the National Coffee Association “History of Coffee” page to get an overview of the origin of coffee and how it spread across the globe.

As you read, consider:

What made coffee popular?
How did coffee shape European culture?
How did coffee spread across the globe?

Global Inequity

Read sections “Coffee: the old international equality” and “Coffee: the new international equality” from Information, Finance, and the New International Inequality: The Case of Coffee by John Talbot.

As you read, consider:

How did colonialism affect coffee-growing countries?
Why were coffee-producing countries not able to move into roasting? What effect did this have on them?
What was the International Coffee Agreement (ICA)? Why was it established?

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The Coffee Crisis

Read “Confronting the Coffee Crisis” blog post from Fair World Project

As your read, consider:

What is causing the Coffee Crisis?
How is this affecting coffee-producing communities?

Confronting the Crisis in CoffeeIn coffee communities around the world, there is a consensus that a crisis isn’t coming — it’s already here.

Activity: Create a Coffee Timeline

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Using what you have learned, create a timeline with some of the major events in the history of coffee. Pull a few main ideas from each source, and think about events that affected the Global North, the Global South, or both.

Organize the timeline in a way that distinguishes which part of the world each event is connected to. For example, may want to put Global North events on top of the line, Global South events on the bottom, and events that span both regions in the middle of the line. Some events may span a long time period or overlap.

Extension Activites

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Additional Justice Issues in the Coffee Industry

Here are some additional activities that your professor may assign and/or you may like to explore to learn on your own!

Environmental Degradation

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Read the section "Shade Coffee and Biodiversity" from Brewing Justice by Daniel Jaffee

Gender Inequality

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Read this portion "Gender Equality and Coffee" from the Specialty Coffee Association

Child Labor

Read the article "Bitter Origins" from the Borgen Project

Injustice in Latin America

Read "Cheap Hands for Coffee" from The Open Veins of Latin America by Eduardo Galeano.

As you read, consider:

Who has grown coffee throughout history? How and why has this changed?
Why does the price of coffee fluctuate drastically? Who is harmed/benefited when it does?

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References

Braff, Lara, and Katie Nelson. “Chapter 15: The Global North: Introducing the Region.” https://milnepublishing.geneseo.edu/genderedlives/chapter/chapter-15-the-global-north-introducing-the-region/.

Costello, Anne. “Confronting the Crisis in Coffee.” Fair World Project (blog), September 4, 2019. https://fairworldproject.org/confronting-the-crisis-in-coffee/.

“Fairtrade Risk Map,” 2023. https://riskmap.fairtrade.net/countries.

Galeano, Eduardo H. Open Veins of Latin America Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent. 25th anniversary ed. New York: Monthly Review Press, 1997.

“Gender Equality and Coffee: Minimizing the Gender Gap in Agriculture.” Speciality Coffee Association, 2018.

Jaffee, Daniel. Brewing Justice: Fair Trade Coffee, Sustainability, and Survival. Updated edition. U of California P, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520957886.

Mahler, Anne Garland. 2017. "Global South." Oxford Bibliographies in Literary and Critical Theory, ed. Eugene O'Brien. https://globalsouthstudies.as.virginia.edu/what-is-global-south.

NATIONALCOFFEE. “The Influence of Coffee Around the World.” National Coffee Association Blog, June 15, 2015. https://nationalcoffee.blog/2015/06/15/the-influence-of-coffee-around-the-world/.

NCAUSA. “The History of Coffee.” Accessed June 26, 2023. https://www.ncausa.org/About-Coffee/History-of-Coffee.

Nguyen, Alice. “Child Labour and Labor Exploitation in Coffee Production.” The Borgen Project (blog), September 24, 2020. https://borgenproject.org/tag/child-labour-and-labor-exploitation-in-coffee-production/.

Talbot, John. “Information, Finance, and the New International Inequality: The Case of Coffee.” Journal of World-Systems Research, August 26, 2002, 214–20. https://doi.org/10.5195/jwsr.2002.269.

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