The “new” internationalization of agriculture: A reformulation

Our research on the “new” internationalization of agriculture builds on analyses of the internationalization of capital and the New International Division of Labor, but reformulates “internationalization” as a contingent, political and economic process. We argue that shifts in the institutional structure of capitalism in the 1980s profoundly altered national policy options and agro-food markets. States, such as Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic, have been compelled to promote agricultural exports, typically at the expense of national food security. While southern states pursue a common goal of international competitiveness, this involves a varied process of domestic restructuring and differentiates states within the world economy.