"Biotraffic delves into the complex world of biological resource trade, taking readers inside the contemporary Ciskei region of South Africa, a once-notorious apartheid 'homeland' turned extractive hub for wild medicinal plants. Drawing from in-depth ethnographic fieldwork and archival research, Christopher Morris examines the region's trade in Pelargonium sidoides, revealing the plant's transformation from a contested tuberculosis treatment in early twentieth-century Europe to a modern-day remedy for the common cold. Linking past and present, the story of the pelargonium trade encapsulates a larger tale about colonial legacies and the fraught effects of global environmental governance ambitions. It also teems with a diverse cast of actors, from plant harvesters and pharmaceutical companies to activist NGOs, government officials, and chiefs who have become business partners with multinational drug firms. The book's analysis extends beyond the mere extraction and commercialization of plant resources, offering a critical examination of how demand for these therapeutics intertwines with broader struggles over land and political power in South Africa. In doing so, Biotraffic illuminates the multilayered dynamics of a global trade that not only exploits but also reconfigures the sociopolitical fabric of a region grappling with the afterlives of apartheid and the contemporary challenges of environmental and economic justice"--

Biotraffic explores the complex world of biological resource trade. It takes readers inside the contemporary Ciskei region of South Africa, a once-notorious apartheid "homeland" turned extractive hub for wild medicinal plants. Drawing from in-depth ethnographic fieldwork and archival research, Christopher Morris examines the region's trade in Pelargonium sidoides, a plant once contested as a tuberculosis treatment in early twentieth-century Europe and now an internationally marketed remedy for the common cold. The story of this trade links past and present, encapsulating a larger tale about colonial legacies and their intersection with global environmental governance ambitions. It also teems with a diverse cast of actors, from plant harvesters and pharmaceutical companies to activist NGOs and the chiefs who have become business partners with multinational drug firms. The book's analysis extends beyond the mere extraction and commercialization of plant resources, offering a critical examination of how demand for therapeutics intertwines with broader struggles over land and political power in South Africa. In doing so, Biotraffic illuminates how a distance-defying trade is reshaping the sociopolitical landscape of a region--a region grappling with apartheid's afterlives and the challenges of environmental and economic justice.

Julian Aguirre Most teenagers consider the summer before college to be an epic event. Sebastian Vega is no different. He has been dreaming of this moment since he can remember. He decides to spend it with his eccentric maternal grandmother, Elsa, in suburban Los Angeles. This move leaves Sebastian far outside the realm of parental influence and will alter his life path. In Los Angeles Sebastian meets a host of interesting people, some unscrupulous, who do not have his well-being in mind. While Sebastian navigates the labyrinth, he falls in love. This provokes its own dilemma because love is anything but simple.