The Flow, Frictions, and Narratives of Goods: Exploring the Social Roles of Commodity Chains in Modernizing Sino-Tibetan Frontier

Abstract

This study explores shifts in commodity chains and their societal functions within the modernizing Sino-Tibetan frontier. By conducting archival studies and online ethnography on three main types of goods including vital commodities such as tea and salt, natural luxuries like caterpillar fungus and matsutake mushroom, and cultural products like Thangka and Tibetan carpet, the paper theorizes the commodities’ role in economic transformation, social-political dynamics, and people’s identity formation. It firstly reveals how changes in commodity chains influence people’s livelihood transformation, as well as the intricate relationship between market integration and local economic stability. Further, the study elucidates the social agency of commodities, serving both as sources and means of social conflicts and community cohesion. Lastly, the paper delves into the narratives and beliefs embedded into commodities and examines how the evolving meanings of commodities participate in the (trans-)formation of individual identity and spiritual belonging. Ultimately, the research suggests that commodity chain studies are integral to understanding complex social dynamics, calling for interdisciplinary approaches to comprehend the multifaceted roles of commodities in shaping societies.