The global value chain of second-hand cars and scraps: an ethnographic account of on-the-ground practices, labour and regulations in Ghana
The article draws on ethnographic observations of second-hand car and spare-parts traders in Ghana to analyze how these goods are traded over continents and how the value of a car is shaped by grounded practices and categories that I describe. The position of Ghana in this global value chain relies...
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
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Universidade de Sâo Paulo
2023
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| _version_ | 1826309897930670080 |
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| author | Cohen, C |
| author_facet | Cohen, C |
| author_sort | Cohen, C |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | The article draws on ethnographic observations of second-hand car and spare-parts traders in Ghana to analyze how these goods are traded over continents and how the value of a car is shaped by grounded practices and categories that I describe. The position of Ghana in this global value chain relies on regulations forged by the alliance between politicians, traders and mechanics of the informal sector, now challenged by manufacturers who promise to contribute to the country's industrialisation; and the availability of skilled and cheap labour. This renders viable operations impossible elsewhere. I hypothesize that as these wastes are revalued in West Africa, they sustain the production cycle and automotive industry in rich countries.
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O artigo se baseia em observações etnográficas de comerciantes de carros usados e peças de reposição em Gana para analisar como essas mercadorias são comercializadas nos continentes e como o valor de um carro é moldado por práticas e categorias que descrevo. A posição de Gana nesta cadeia de valor depende das regulamentações forjadas pela aliança entre políticos, comerciantes e mecânicos do setor informal, agora desafiados pelos fabricantes que prometem contribuir para a industrialização do país; e a disponibilidade de mão de obra qualificada e barata. Isso torna viáveis operações impossíveis em outros lugares. Eu suponho que, à medida que estes carros são reavaliados na África Ocidental, eles sustentam o ciclo de produção e a indústria automotiva nos países ricos. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T07:42:37Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:84089aa4-4c98-4c63-a1be-29ff0fa4f226 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T07:42:37Z |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publisher | Universidade de Sâo Paulo |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:84089aa4-4c98-4c63-a1be-29ff0fa4f2262023-05-04T15:24:42ZThe global value chain of second-hand cars and scraps: an ethnographic account of on-the-ground practices, labour and regulations in GhanaJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:84089aa4-4c98-4c63-a1be-29ff0fa4f226EnglishSymplectic ElementsUniversidade de Sâo Paulo2023Cohen, CThe article draws on ethnographic observations of second-hand car and spare-parts traders in Ghana to analyze how these goods are traded over continents and how the value of a car is shaped by grounded practices and categories that I describe. The position of Ghana in this global value chain relies on regulations forged by the alliance between politicians, traders and mechanics of the informal sector, now challenged by manufacturers who promise to contribute to the country's industrialisation; and the availability of skilled and cheap labour. This renders viable operations impossible elsewhere. I hypothesize that as these wastes are revalued in West Africa, they sustain the production cycle and automotive industry in rich countries. <br> O artigo se baseia em observações etnográficas de comerciantes de carros usados e peças de reposição em Gana para analisar como essas mercadorias são comercializadas nos continentes e como o valor de um carro é moldado por práticas e categorias que descrevo. A posição de Gana nesta cadeia de valor depende das regulamentações forjadas pela aliança entre políticos, comerciantes e mecânicos do setor informal, agora desafiados pelos fabricantes que prometem contribuir para a industrialização do país; e a disponibilidade de mão de obra qualificada e barata. Isso torna viáveis operações impossíveis em outros lugares. Eu suponho que, à medida que estes carros são reavaliados na África Ocidental, eles sustentam o ciclo de produção e a indústria automotiva nos países ricos. |
| spellingShingle | Cohen, C The global value chain of second-hand cars and scraps: an ethnographic account of on-the-ground practices, labour and regulations in Ghana |
| title | The global value chain of second-hand cars and scraps: an ethnographic account of on-the-ground practices, labour and regulations in Ghana |
| title_full | The global value chain of second-hand cars and scraps: an ethnographic account of on-the-ground practices, labour and regulations in Ghana |
| title_fullStr | The global value chain of second-hand cars and scraps: an ethnographic account of on-the-ground practices, labour and regulations in Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | The global value chain of second-hand cars and scraps: an ethnographic account of on-the-ground practices, labour and regulations in Ghana |
| title_short | The global value chain of second-hand cars and scraps: an ethnographic account of on-the-ground practices, labour and regulations in Ghana |
| title_sort | global value chain of second hand cars and scraps an ethnographic account of on the ground practices labour and regulations in ghana |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT cohenc theglobalvaluechainofsecondhandcarsandscrapsanethnographicaccountofonthegroundpracticeslabourandregulationsinghana AT cohenc globalvaluechainofsecondhandcarsandscrapsanethnographicaccountofonthegroundpracticeslabourandregulationsinghana |