Káva v mezinárodních vztazích: Perspektiva globálního Jihu

The Master’s Thesis aims to identify the manifestations and impacts of coffee in international relations, in its various iterations and forms, with focus on select countries of the Global South. It posits that coffee fulfils multiple roles in international relations: as a commodity in international trade, as a nation-branding tool, and as the subject and object of bilateral and multilateral diplomacy. The commodity aspect is developed through the case studies of Brazil and Kenya – two countries investing plenty time and resources to market this good in a manner that subverts the existing neo-colonial structure of the international coffee trade. The nation-branding aspect is explored through the case studies of Türkiye and Indonesia. The former employs the beverage for cultural and political purposes, whereas the latter does so in order to derive economic benefits. Lastly, the diplomatic aspects manifest in the subjectivity and objectivity of coffee. Coffee is the subject of several international governmental and non-governmental organisations, such as the International Coffee Organisation which administers the International Coffee Agreement, as well as Fairtrade and the Rainforest Alliance. As an object, the beverage that is coffee streamlines diplomacy by helping to build rapport and set a relaxed atmosphere conducive to negotiations. Given the commodity’s origins, colonial history, and subsequent neo-colonial developments, the Thesis overall posits that the Global South is the driving point behind coffee in international relations – hence the focus on countries belonging to the region in question.