The travels of a T-shirt in the global economy : an economist examines the markets, power, and politics of world trade / Pietra Rivoli.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 310-334) and index.

How America has dominated the global cotton industry for 200 years -- The history of American cotton -- Back at the Reinsch farm -- All God's dangers ain't the subsidies -- Cotton comes to China -- The long race to the bottom -- Sisters in time -- The unwitting conspiracy -- Returning to America -- Dogs snarling together -- Perverse effects and unintended consequences of T-shirt trade policy -- 45 years of "temporary" protectionism end in 2009--now what? -- Where T-shirts go after the Salvation Army bin -- How small entrepreneurs clothe East Africa with old American T-shirts -- Mitumba : friend or foe to Africa? Conclusion. Epilogue: Developments 2009-2014. American cotton is still king --The rase to the bottom speeds up --The alphabet armies march on --Competition heats up in the used clothing business.