From Ports to People: Exploring Global Supply Chain Vulnerabilities in a Chaotic World

This thesis explores how major events—like armed conflict, sanctions, and disinformation—disrupt the systems that move goods around the world. These systems, called supply chains, are often thought of in economic terms, but they are also deeply connected to people, culture, and memory. Through a series of lectures, films, and discussions hosted by Arizona State University’s Melikian Center, this research looks closely at how trade is affected by the war in Ukraine, corruption in the Balkans, and the use of propaganda to shape public opinion and economic decisions. From blocked ports to factories reduced to rubble, the thesis uncovers how trade is not just about shipping materials—it’s about the lives, histories, and futures of entire communities.