| In the 19th century coffee dominated the economic markets of Puerto Rico. Favored by European consumers, some claim that even the Vatican savored its unique flavor, and the island held a reputation for producing high quality coffee that has long since outlasted the market itself. After ownership of the island passed from Spain to the United States, a shift to sugar economies,natural causes, and social stratification issues, caused the coffee markets of Puerto Rico to plummet. Despite its reputation for producing high quality coffee, the island has failed to match the production level it once had. In the last decade, there have been attempts to revitalize the stagnant coffee market by focusing its production on specialty coffee. This thesis uses anthropological theory and qualitative methodologies to explore linkages of postcolonial identity of Puerto Rican specialty coffee farmers, and their attempts to succeed in the third wave coffee market. |
