Final answer:
Fratkin discusses how individuals and societies have adapted their modes of subsistence over time due to various factors. The lack of good life alternatives in the face of globalization can lead to less attractive jobs. Traditional livelihoods such as fishing, farming, and craftwork continue in some communities, providing continuity with past ways of living.
Step-by-step explanation:
The alternative livelihoods described by Fratkin relate to how people have adapted their means of survival in response to various challenges such as population pressures, migrations, technology, trade, and climate change. In history, there have been four main modes of subsistence: hunting and gathering, agriculture, pastoralism, and industrial work. Globalization has not made lives worse globally; it's the lack of good life alternatives that's problematic, pushing some towards less desirable jobs like scavenging or prostitution, similar to the hardships faced in the United States during industrialization. Furthermore, traditional occupations like fishing, farming, and craftwork continue to provide a sense of continuity from past to present, exemplifying how some communities maintain their ancestral ways of living amidst changing conditions.