Going Bananas for Bananas
The banana is the most popular fruit sold in the US, with more bananas sold each year than apples and oranges combined. As the Jackson reading described, the history of banana consumption is closely intertwined with colonialism in Central and South America. The production and consumption of bananas is a prime example of the effects of globalization, defined in Baskerville as “advances in technology, economic development, and international trade” that lead to an increasingly interconnected world. The import and consumption of Chiquita bananas in the US, driven by catchy advertisements and jingles, has had profound effects, both positive and negative, in Central and South America where bananas are grown.