Capitalist Value Chains

In this compelling book, the authors show how the mainstream notion of Global Value Chains obscures their capitalist character and introduce the alternative concept of Capitalist Value Chains. These chains are premised upon the internationalized exploitation of labour, the destruction of nature, and underpinned by violent geopolitics.

Benjamin Selwyn is Professor of International Relations and International Development, Department of International Relations, University of Sussex. He researches, writes, and teaches about international political economy and development from the vantage point of capitalist value chains, food and agriculture, and labour.
Christin Bernhold is a Junior Professor of Economic and Political Geography, with a focus on Bioeconomy and Sustainability, at the University of Hamburg. She leads the research group 'Meat The Bioeconomy' which examines corporate strategies in the German meat industry. Her broader research interests include capitalist value chains and international class relations.
Dara Leyden is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Queen Mary University of London, where he researches labour in the global photovoltaic industry. His PhD analyses industrial upgrading and labour regimes in electronics capitalist value chains. His research interests lie at the intersection of globalization, technology, and labour regimes.