What is the accessibility and effect of Fair Trade on rural, Bolivian, alpaca knitters?

DISSERTATION PRE-PROPOSAL

Research Question: What is the accessibility and effect of Fair Trade on rural, Bolivian, alpaca knitters?

Areas of literature to review:
1. The process of Fair Trade particularly voluntary vs certified
2. Economic analysis of knitting in rural Bolivia
3. Cultural studies of rural Bolivian knitters

Data: Documents related to exports of alpaca knitting in Bolivia gathered from government and non-government agencies. Interviews with leaders of rural, Bolivian, alpaca knitting groups. Current Fair Trade research.

Data collection:
1. Structured and unstructured interviews
2. Ethnographic study with participant observation
3. Request of documents form the government of Bolivia and non-government organizations.

Data Analysis: Grounded-theory analysis of documents, interviews and observations, to determine accessibility and effect.

Significance: The study will inform those developing and implementing Fair Trade models what is helpful and not in extending participation in Fair Trade. It will also give a deeper understanding to the long term effects Fair Trade has on Bolivia’s rural participants. Currently there is no information on the effects that Fair Trade has had on a particular Fair Trade group in comparison to a non Fair Trade group.

Outline of Study:
• Chapter 1: Introduction including background of the problem, research question, significance, and outline of study
• Chapter 2: literature review
• Chapter 3: Literature design
• Chapter 4: Results
• Chapter 5: Conclusion or discussion