The Mushroom at the End of the World

How do Tsing’s photographs—and where they are placed—extend her arguments about the social and economic significance of matsutake mushrooms?

How does Tsing emphasize the importance of scholarly collaboration for herself and mushroom scientists?

In what ways does Tsing demonstrate that biology, ecology, and other national sciences also have social and political dimensions?

How does Tsing use the extended metaphor of the “ghost” to discuss economic and social catastrophe in Open Ticket?

In what way does Tsing’s story of matsutake in Japan illustrate the power of sentiment and emotion as a political and economic force?

Describe how Tsing deliberately takes the focus off humans in her discussion of forests, history, and the consequences of ruined landscapes.

How does Tsing function as the story’s protagonist, particularly in her use of personal narratives and accounts to make sense of her findings?

In what ways are the forests of Oregon, Finland, China, and Japan particular, and in what ways are they made uniform by capitalist pressures?