Political consumerism and food activism

Typically, political consumerism is portrayed in straightforward, unproblematic ways. This chapter discusses how and why political consumerism—and particularly boycotts—can be confusing and problematic. Theoretically it focuses on moral dilemmas within political consumerism and the key role of overriding moral claims in the motivations for and actions of political consumer causes. An ideal type model, constructed for analyzing unproblematic and problematic political consumerism, is applied to cases of more unproblematic political consumerism (e.g., the Nestlé, Nike, and South African boycotts) and more problematic political consumerism (e.g., the Disney boycott and the movement against Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestine territories). The chapter also addresses why other forms of political consumerism (buycotts and discursive actions) seem less vulnerable to moral dilemmas as well as the research challenges in studying more problematic cases of political consumerism.

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Some Dilemmas of Political Consumerism

The Oxford Handbook of Political Consumerism ◽

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190629038.013.29 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 720-740

Author(s):

Sarah Webb ◽

Anna Cristina Pertierra

Keyword(s):

Middle Class ◽

Environmentally Friendly ◽

The Philippines ◽

Rural Poor ◽

Political Consumerism ◽

Palawan Island ◽

Class Distinction

In the Philippines, socioeconomic relations that result from deeply uneven market engagements have long made consumption a moral affair. Ecoconscious lifestyles and consumer practices remain largely the domain of elite and middle-class Filipinos, and as such, engagement with sustainable and environmentally friendly consumption may be seen not only as a marker of class distinction but also as a critique of urban and rural poor livelihood practices deemed to be environmentally detrimental. Focusing on a case study from Palawan Island, the chapter discusses some dilemmas that have arisen as the application of “eco” to tourism practices has become widespread and attractive to middle-class Filipinos with steadily growing spending power. The relevance of class to considering dilemmas of political consumerism is not unique to the Philippines, and these issues provide an opportunity to critically reflect on who benefits from political consumerism.

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Political Consumerism for Sustainable Tourism

The Oxford Handbook of Political Consumerism ◽

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190629038.013.17 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 348-366

Author(s):

Machiel Lamers ◽

Jeroen Nawijn ◽

Eke Eijgelaar

Keyword(s):

Nature Conservation ◽

Environmental Change ◽

Social Theory ◽

Environmental Effects ◽

Sustainable Tourism ◽

Global Environmental Change ◽

Future Research ◽

Political Consumerism ◽

Global Environmental

Over the last decades a substantial and growing societal and academic interest has emerged for the development of sustainable tourism. Scholars have highlighted the contribution of tourism to global environmental change and to local, detrimental social and environmental effects as well as to ways in which tourism contributes to nature conservation. Nevertheless the role of tourist consumers in driving sustainable tourism has remained unconvincing and inconsistent. This chapter reviews the constraints and opportunities of political consumerism for sustainable tourism. The discussion covers stronger pockets and a key weak pocket of political consumerism for sustainable tourism and also highlights inconsistencies in sustainable tourism consumption by drawing on a range of social theory arguments and possible solutions. The chapter concludes with an agenda for future research on this topic.

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Prohibition, Legalization, and Political Consumerism

The Oxford Handbook of Political Consumerism ◽

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190629038.013.14 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 740-769 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Elizabeth A. Bennett

Keyword(s):

Social Movements ◽

Legal Status ◽

Ethical Issues ◽

Drug Control ◽

Psychoactive Substance ◽

Political Consumerism ◽

Control Laws ◽

The Past ◽

The Us

Cannabis (marijuana) is the most commonly consumed, universally produced, and frequently trafficked psychoactive substance prohibited under international drug control laws. Yet, several countries have recently moved toward legalization. In these places, the legal status of cannabis is complex, especially because illegal markets persist. This chapter explores the ways in which a sector’s legal status interacts with political consumerism. The analysis draws on a case study of political consumerism in the US and Canadian cannabis markets over the past two decades as both countries moved toward legalization. It finds that the goals, tactics, and leadership of political consumerism activities changed as the sector’s legal status shifted. Thus prohibition, semilegalization, and new legality may present special challenges to political consumerism, such as silencing producers, confusing consumers, deterring social movements, and discouraging discourse about ethical issues. The chapter concludes that political consumerism and legal status may have deep import for one another.

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Racialized Political Consumerism in the United States

The Oxford Handbook of Political Consumerism ◽

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190629038.013.37 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 680-698

Author(s):

Bo Yun Park

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

American History ◽

Minority Groups ◽

The United States ◽

Political Consumerism ◽

White Supremacist ◽

Political Tradition ◽

Democratic Societies

In the United States, political consumerism has evolved alongside the country’s racial struggles. Throughout American history, ethnoracial minority groups have used different forms of racialized political consumerism in order to advance their rights. White supremacist groups have also taken part in boycotts to promote their cause. Addressing the need to assess the meaning and significance of a tactic that is considered to be a longstanding political tradition, this chapter provides an analytical guide for the study of racialized political consumerism in democratic societies. It does so by (1) illustrating the historical and contemporary uses of political consumerism in racial struggles in the United States, (2) examining the different forms of political consumerism used by ethnoracial minorities, and (3) discussing the theoretical value of the concept of racialized political consumerism.

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