The Oxford Handbook of Political Consumerism

Description

The global phenomenon of political consumerism is known through such diverse manifestations as corporate boycotts, increased preferences for organic and fairtrade products, and lifestyle choices such as veganism. It has also become an area of increasing research across a variety of disciplines. Political consumerism uses consumer power to change institutional or market practices that are found ethically, environmentally, or politically objectionable. Through such actions, the goods offered on the consumer market are problematized and politicized. Distinctions between consumers and citizens and between the economy and politics collapse. The Oxford Handbook of Political Consumerism offers the first comprehensive theoretical and comparative overview of the ways in which the market becomes a political arena. It maps the four major forms of political consumerism: boycotting, buycotting (spending to show support), lifestyle politics, and discursive actions, such as culture jamming. Chapters by leading scholars examine political consumerism in different locations and industry sectors, and in consideration of environmental and human rights problems, political events, and the ethics of production and manufacturing practices. This volume offers a thorough exploration of the phenomenon and its myriad dilemmas, involving religion, race, nationalism, gender relations, animals, and our common future. Moreover, the Handbook takes stock of political consumerism's effectiveness in solving complex global problems and its use to both promote and impede democracy.

About the Editor

Magnus Boström is Professor of Sociology at Örebro University, in Sweden. Michele Micheletti is the Lars Johan Hierta Chair of Political Science at Stockholm University. Peter Oosterveer is Professor in the Environmental Policy Group at Wageningen University, in the Netherlands.

Contributors:

Stefanie Affeldt, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität, Heidelberg, Germany
Philip Balsiger, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Sigrid Baringhorst, Universität Siegen, Germany
Elizabeth A. Bennett, Lewis and Clark College, USA
Sebastian Berger, University of Bern, Switzerland
Magnus Boström, Örebro University, Sweden
B. Quinn Burt, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada
Simon R. Bush, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
Max Chewinski, University of British Columbia, Canada
Toke Haunstrup Christensen, Aalborg University, Denmark
Kim Y. Hiller Connell, Kansas State University, USA
Johan Nicolaas Wilhelm de Jager, International House Business College, Australia
Donatella della Porta, Scuola Normale Superiore, Florence, Italy
Joost de Moor, Stockholm University, Sweden
Mario Diani, University of Trento, Italy
Sophie Dubuisson-Quellier, CNRS, Sciences Po, France
Eke Eijgelaar, Breda University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands
Francesca Forno, University of Trento, Italy
Luc Fransen, University of Amsterdam and Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study, The Netherlands
Gavin Fridell, Saint Mary's University, Canada
Laurent Glin, Africa Green Corporation, Benin
Kirsten Gram-Hanssen, Aalborg University, Denmark
Lars H. Gulbrandsen, Fridtjof Nansen Institute, Norway
Emese Gulyás, Association of Conscious Consumers, Hungary
Bente Halkier, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Lucas Huissoud, McGill University, Canada
Erik Hysing, Örebro University, Sweden
Mette Hove Jacobsen, Aalborg University, Denmark
Piia Jallinoja, Tampere University, Finland
Kanang Kantamaturapoj, Mahidol University, Thailand
Meredith A. Katz, Virginia Commonwealth University, USA
Mikael Klintman, Lund University, Sweden
Sanneke Kloppenburg, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
Machiel Lamers, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
Zhang Lei, Renmin University, China
Eleftheria J. Lekakis, University of Sussex, UK
Wenling Liu, Beijing Institute of Technology, China
Michele Micheletti, Stockholm University, Sweden
Lara Monticelli, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
Jeroen Nawijn, NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands
Mari Niva, University of Helsinki, Finland
Peter Oosterveer, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
Didem Oral, Stockholm University, Sweden
Bo Yun Park, Harvard University, USA
Léna Pellandini-Simányi, Università della Svizzera italiana, Switzerland
Anna Cristina Pertierra, Western Sydney University, Australia
Fátima Portilho, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Cathy A. Roheim, University of Idaho, USA
Gert Spaargaren, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
Hari Sreekumar, Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli, India
Megan Stewart, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada
Mark C.J. Stoddart, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada
Dietlind Stolle, McGill University, Canada
Natapol Thongplew, Ubon Ratchathani University, Thailand
Bas van Vliet, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
Rohit Varman, Deakin University, Australia
Markus Vinnari, Tampere University, Finland
Sarah Webb, University of Queensland, Australia
Suwit Wibulpolprasert, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand
Mundo Yang, Universität Siegen, Germany

Table of contents

1. Studying Political Consumerism
Magnus Boström, Michele Micheletti, and Peter Oosterveer
Part I. Historical Routes of Political Consumerism
2. The Development of Political Consumerism in India: A Historical Perspective
Hari Sreekumar and Rohit Varman
3. Political Consumerism in the South African and British Anti-Apartheid Movements: The Historical Role of Consumer Boycott Campaigns
Johan Nicolaas Wilhelm de Jager
Part II. Theory and Designing Research on Political Consumerism
4. Protest, Social Movements, and Spaces for Politically Oriented Consumerist Actions—Nationally, Transnationally, and Locally
Francesca Forno
5. Modes of Coordination in Political Consumerism
Mario Diani
6. A Behavioral Economic Perspective on Political Consumerism
Sebastian Berger
7. Political Consumerism and the Social-Practice Perspective
Peter Oosterveer, Gert Spaargaren, and Sanneke Kloppenburg
8. Veganism and Plant-Based Eating: Analysis of Interplay Between Discursive Strategies and Lifestyle Political Consumerism
Piia Jallinoja, Markus Vinnari, and Mari Niva
9. Studying Media Within Political Consumerism: Past and Present
Mundo Yang and Sigrid Baringhorst
10. Rejecting and Embracing Brands in Political Consumerism
Magnus Boström
11. Globalization, Governance Gaps, and the Emergence of New Institutions for Political Consumerism
Lars H. Gulbrandsen
12. Conceptualizing Political Consumerism as Part of the Global Value Chain
Gavin Fridell
Part III. Industry Sectors and Political Consumerism
13. Political Food Consumerism Between Mundane Routines and Organizational Alliance-Building
Bente Halkier
14. Utilizing Political Consumerism to Challenge the 21st Century Fast Fashion Industry
Kim Y. Hiller Connell
15. Toy Consumption as Political: Challenges for Making Dreams Come True
Mikael Klintman
16. The Shifting Politics of Sustainable Seafood Consumerism
Simon R. Bush and Cathy A. Roheim
17. Political Consumerism for Sustainable Tourism: A Review
Machiel Lamers, Jeroen Nawijn, and Eke Eijgelaar
18. Political Consumerism in the Oil and Mining Extractive Industries: Possibilities for Sustainability and Social Justice
Mark C. J. Stoddart, Max Chewinski, B. Quinn Burt, and Megan Stewart
19. Household Appliances and Electronics: Discussing the Relative Absence of Political Consumerism
Toke Haunstrup Christensen, Kirsten Gram-Hanssen, and Mette Hove Jacobsen
20. Energy Devices and Political Consumerism in Reconfigured Energy Systems
Sanneke Kloppenburg and Bas van Vliet
Part IV. The Geographic Spread and Practice of Political Consumerism
21. Political Consumerism in Northwestern Europe: Leading by Example?
Joost de Moor and Philip Balsiger
22. Political Consumerism in Southern Europe
Eleftheria J. Lekakis and Francesca Forno
23. Political Consumerism in Central and Eastern Europe
Léna Pellandini-Simányi and Emese Gulyás
24. Boycotting and Buycotting in Consumer Cultures: Political Consumerism in North America
Meredith A. Katz
25. Politicizing Consumption in Latin America
Fátima Portilho and Michele Micheletti
26. Tracing Political Consumerism in Africa and the Middle East
Peter Oosterveer, Laurent Glin, and Michele Micheletti
27. Institutional Changes and Changing Political Consumerism in China
Zhang Lei, Wenling Liu, and Peter Oosterveer
28. Facilitating Political Consumerism in an Emerging Economy: The Case of Political Consumerism in Thailand
Kanang Kantamaturapoj, Natapol Thongplew, and Suwit Wibulpolprasert
Part V. Democratic Paradoxes and Challenges in Political Consumerism
29. Undemocratic Political Consumerism
Dietlind Stolle and Lucas Huissoud
30. Stefanie Affeldt
31. Political Consumerism and Nationalist Struggles in Europe
Eleftheria J. Lekakis
32. Racialized Political Consumerism in the United States
Bo Yun Park
33. Problematic Political Consumerism: Confusions and Moral Dilemmas in Boycott Activism
Michele Micheletti and Didem Oral
34. Some Dilemmas of Political Consumerism: Class and Ecotourism Practices in the Philippines
Sarah Webb and Anna Cristina Pertierra
35. Prohibition, Legalization, and Political Consumerism: Insights From the U.S. and Canadian Cannabis Markets
Elizabeth A. Bennett
Part VI. The Problem-Solving Potential of Political Consumerism
36. The Successes of Political Consumerism as a Social Movement
Lara Monticelli and Donatella della Porta
37. Political Consumerism and Corporate Strategy Towards Sustainability Standard-Setting: In or Out of Sync?
Luc Fransen
38. From Moral Concerns to Market Values: How Political Consumerism Shapes Markets
Sophie Dubuisson-Quellier
39. Government Engagement With Political Consumerism
Erik Hysing
40. Mass-Consumption and Political Consumerism
Magnus Boström and Mikael Klintman
Part VII. Conclusion
41. Political Consumerism: Research Challenges and Future Directions
Magnus Boström, Michele Micheletti, and Peter Oosterveer