DOCSLIB.ORG

Consumer Movements, Activism, and Ideology

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Consumer Movements, Activism, and Ideology See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228948443 Adversaries of Consumption: Consumer Movements, Activism, and Ideology Article in Journal of Consumer Research · December 2004 DOI: 10.1086/425104 CITATIONS READS 359 1,423 7 authors, including: Robert V. Kozinets John Sherry University of Southern California University of Notre Dame 89 PUBLICATIONS 10,778 CITATIONS 123 PUBLICATIONS 7,621 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Activism View project Online Reviews View project All content following this page was uploaded by Robert V. Kozinets on 27 August 2014. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. Adversaries of Consumption: Consumer Movements, Activism, and Ideology ROBERT V. KOZINETS JAY M. HANDELMAN* This article focuses on consumer movements that seek ideological and cultural change. Building from a basis in New Social Movement (NSM) theory, we study these movements among anti-advertising, anti-Nike, and anti-GE food activists. We find activists’ collective identity linked to an evangelical identity related to U.S. activism’s religious roots. Our findings elucidate the value of spiritual and religious identities to gaining commitment, warn of the perils of preaching to the unconverted, and highlight movements that seek to transform the ideology and culture of con- sumerism. Conceiving mainstream consumers as ideological opponents inverts conventional NSM theories that view them as activists’ clients. ocial movements are intentional collective efforts by temporary consumer movements that seek to change this S activists to transform the social order (Buechler 2000). elemental institutional foundation. This article focuses on consumer movements, which are We can conceptualize any social movement’s ideology as particular kinds of social movements that attempt to trans- consisting of three core representational elements, in which form various elements of the social order surrounding con- the movement’s activists publicly portray (1) their goal, (2) sumption and marketing. As consumption has come to play themselves, and (3) their adversary (Melucci 1989; Touraine an increasingly central role in contemporary society, con- 1981). Considerable theory development has taken the goal sumer movements have arisen to challenge and transform of consumer movements to be changes in the principles, aspects of it by propagating ideologies of consumption that practices, and policies of organizations, businesses, indus- radicalize mainstream views. tries, and governments. This orientation is present in the As we seek to increase our understanding of the dynamics historical conceptualization of management sociologist Rao and complexities of consumer culture, we need theory that (1998), who asserts that there have been three eras of con- conceptualizes consumer movements and their ideological sumer movement in the United States: an antiadulteration role. As we follow the historical trajectory of a culture of movement, the rise of nonprofit consumer watchdog orga- consumerism that seems in many accounts to be globally nizations, and an era of legal activism. ascendant and apparently unstoppable, conceptualizing con- Activism in Rao’s (1998) account and related other the- sumer movements that stand in opposition to it may be oretical accounts of consumer movement history (e.g., Ga- viewed as increasingly important. Sklair (1995, p. 507) briel and Lang 1995; Tiemstra 1992) accept consumption terms the mutually reinforcing integration of consumer cul- as central to modern society and present businesses as the ture and consumerist ideology the “culture-ideology of con- targets and consumers as the clients of activist’s efforts. sumerism” and concludes that it is a “fundamental institu- Consumer movements are portrayed as organized around tional support of global capitalism.” The purpose of this goals that resist particular industrial or marketing practices, article is to arrive at a theory-based understanding of con- such as selling unsafe vehicles or publishing deceptive ad- vertising. A similar assumption of principles, practices, and *Robert V. Kozinets is assistant professor of marketing at the University policy changes as key goals for activists is apparent within of Wisconsin—Madison, School of Business, 975 University Avenue, Mad- ison, WI 53706; e-mail: [email protected]; Web page: http:// consumer research focused on the study of boycotts and www.research.bus.wisc.edu/rkozinets/. Jay M. Handelman is associate pro- socially responsible consumers (e.g., Friedman 1999; Gar- fessor of marketing at Queen’s University, School of Business, Kingston, rett 1987; Miller and Sturdivant 1977). According to this Ontario, Canada, K7L 3N6; e-mail: [email protected]. The research, the social order that these various consumers and authors thank Marc Ventresca, John Meyer, Richard Scott, Eileen Fischer, and John Sherry for their many insightful comments and suggestions. The activists seek to protect is one “of healthy and employed authors thank the editor, associate editor, and three reviewers for their consumers protected by the state against profiteers, market comments and helpful suggestions. They are also grateful for the contri- fluctuations and scarcities, unemployment and disease” butions of the consumer activists and consumers who were observed and (Trentmann 2001, p. 130). interviewed for this article. However, a more radical variety of consumer movement 691 ᭧ 2004 by JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH, Inc. ● Vol. 31 ● December 2004 All rights reserved. 0093-5301/2004/3103-0021$10.00 692 JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH has appeared in which the goal is not only the changing of (1993) notes, social movements are genuinely modern phe- principles, practices, and policies but also a fundamental nomena, linked to an age of ideology in which society came change to the ideology and culture of consumerism (Gabriel to be understood as a social creation that is also malleable. and Lang 1995; Rumbo 2002; Sklair 1995). The influence Touraine (1977) asserts that the premodern era constrained of this latest consumer movement can be located in some collective action through metasocial principles like divine of the activist identities and radicalized consumption mean- rules or natural laws that dictated the social order. Modern- ings present among a range of individuals, groups, and cul- ity, however, ushered in a new historical era where meta- tures studied in recent consumer research (e.g., Holt 2002; social guarantees largely passed into obscurity. In exchange Kozinets 2002a; Thompson 2004; Thompson and Troester came nearly boundless capacities for self-transformation and 2002). Yet, as Sklair (1995) notes, ordinary countercultures social change. are regularly incorporated into the consumer culture and These interrelated new capacities for self-transformation actually pose little threat to the capitalist system (see also and social change have received a central place in the so- Holt 2002; Kozinets 2002a). Nevertheless, Sklair (1995, p. ciological theorizing of New Social Movement (or NSM) 505) holds that it is important to theorize about the “con- theorists. Especially within European studies, a wide variety siderable difficulty of mobilizing social movements against of different NSM theorists have deployed concepts relating global capitalism on the basis of anti-consumerist ideology.” politics and culture to the contexts of contemporary social Seeking to further our understanding of this form of con- movements. In an overview article, Buechler (1995) places sumer movement, we are led to examine its ideology, con- the theories of Manuel Castells, Alain Touraine, Alberto stituted of its three key components: a goal, a self-repre- Melucci, and Jurgen Habermans as central to the large body sentation, and an adversary. Because the consumer of NSM theorizing. Positioning their approach in relation movement’s goal has altered to include radical change in to the economic reductionism of classical Marxism, these the broader consumer culture, has the activists’ description NSM theorists look to logics of action based not within the of themselves also changed? Has their altered goal led to sphere of production but in the spheres of politics, ideology, an alteration in activists’ portrayal and conception of their and culture. In addition, they look for sources of collective adversary? If they are no longer oriented only to change the identity such as ethnicity, gender, and sexuality to comple- practices of businesses, organizations, and industries, are ment the Marxist predilection for class-based identity those same businesses, organizations, and industries still (Buechler 1995, 2000). seen as their key adversaries? This article contributes to Different from sociological approaches to social move- current knowledge about activist ideology by exploring the ments like the resource mobilization and social construc- theoretical implications that the change in consumer move- tionist paradigms, NSM theorists theorize about social ment goal orientation has upon our understanding of activ- movements in relation to some societal totality. In many ists’ representations of themselves and their adversaries. NSM theoretical formulations, such as those of Castells, Building from a basis in the theoretical understanding of Touraine, and Habermas, new social movements are cast as New Social Movement theory, particularly
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Citizen-Consumer Hybrid: Ideological Tensions and the Case of Whole Foods Market
    Theor Soc (2008) 37:229–270 DOI 10.1007/s11186-007-9058-5 ARTICLE The citizen-consumer hybrid: ideological tensions and the case of Whole Foods Market Josée Johnston Published online: 30 December 2007 # Springer Science + Business Media B.V. 2007 Abstract Ethical consumer discourse is organized around the idea that shopping, and particularly food shopping, is a way to create progressive social change. A key component of this discourse is the “citizen-consumer” hybrid, found in both activist and academic writing on ethical consumption. The hybrid concept implies a social practice –“voting with your dollar”–that can satisfy competing ideologies of consumerism (an idea rooted in individual self-interest) and citizenship (an ideal rooted in collective responsibility to a social and ecological commons). While a hopeful sign, this hybrid concept needs to be theoretically unpacked, and empirically explored. This article has two purposes. First, it is a theory-building project that unpacks the citizen-consumer concept, and investigates underlying ideological tensions and contradictions. The second purpose of the paper is to relate theory to an empirical case-study of the citizen-consumer in practice. Using the case-study of Whole Foods Market (WFM), a corporation frequently touted as an ethical market actor, I ask: (1) how does WFM frame the citizen-consumer hybrid, and (2) what ideological tensions between consumer and citizen ideals are present in the framing? Are both ideals coexisting and balanced in the citizen-consumer hybrid, or is this construct used to disguise underlying ideological inconsistencies? Rather than meeting the requirements of consumerism and citizenship equally, the case of WFM suggests that the citizen-consumer hybrid provides superficial attention to citizenship goals in order to serve three consumerist interests better: consumer choice, status distinction, and ecological cornucopianism.
    [Show full text]
  • The Environmental and Consumer Movements TEKS 11(B), 24(B) 2 Listen • the 1960S and 1970S Also Saw the Birth of the Environmental and Consumer Protection Movements
    1 The Environmental and Consumer Movements TEKS 11(B), 24(B) 2 Listen • The 1960s and 1970s also saw the birth of the environmental and consumer protection movements. Environmental movements demanded preservation and restoration of Earth’s environment. Inspired by Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring, condemning the chemicals that were poisoning the environment, groups organized around the country. Activists protested pollution and toxic wastes. The government responded to environmentalists’ fears over possible nuclear accidents by establishing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in 1974 to oversee the safety of nuclear power plants. 3 Listen • As concerns about environmental damage grew among the public, the government also established the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set national antipollution standards. The EPA enforced these standards through the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act, which controlled air and water pollution by industries. Because of concerns of business that new regulations would cost them too much and cause loss of jobs, the government tried to balance the demands of economic development and environmental protection. 4 Listen • The consumer movement demanded safety for consumers and workers. It had roots in early-20th- century efforts, such as those of the muckrakers, to protect the public. But in the 1960s and 1970s the movement grew larger and stronger. Led by consumer activist Ralph Nader, who has devoted his life and work to consumer protection, scores of volunteers investigated the automobile and
    [Show full text]
  • A Tale of Two Movements: Consumer Protection in the U.S. from 1969 to 2010
    University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons CUREJ - College Undergraduate Research Electronic Journal College of Arts and Sciences 5-2-2013 A Tale of Two Movements: Consumer Protection in the U.S. from 1969 to 2010 Diya Berger [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/curej Recommended Citation Berger, Diya, "A Tale of Two Movements: Consumer Protection in the U.S. from 1969 to 2010" 02 May 2013. CUREJ: College Undergraduate Research Electronic Journal, University of Pennsylvania, https://repository.upenn.edu/curej/168. This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/curej/168 For more information, please contact [email protected]. A Tale of Two Movements: Consumer Protection in the U.S. from 1969 to 2010 Abstract The passage of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 and subsequent establishment of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau marked an unexpected victory for consumers across America at the expense of the well-financed business lobby. Although classical social scientists, such as Mancur Olson, claim that consumer movements should fail to emerge due to the difficulty of providing public goods for large constituencies, consumer victories – like the passage of Dodd-Frank— have occurred in waves throughout the last century. In conducting this study, I thus sought to answer why it is that some consumer movements are able to push through consumer legislation while others fail. In order to answer this question, I conducted two cases studies, comparing Ralph Nader’s failed attempt to establish a Consumer Protection Agency in the 1970s with Elizabeth Warren’s successful push to create Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in 2010.
    [Show full text]
  • Burn It Down! Anarchism, Activism, and the Vancouver Five, 1967–1985
    Burn it Down! Anarchism, Activism, and the Vancouver Five, 1967–1985 by Eryk Martin M.A., University of Victoria, 2008 B.A. (Hons.), University of Victoria, 2006 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of History Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences © Eryk Martin 2016 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Spring 2016 Approval Name: Eryk Martin Degree: Doctor of Philosophy (History) Title: Burn it Down! Anarchism, Activism, and the Vancouver Five, 1967–1985 Examining Committee: Chair: Dimitris Krallis Associate Professor Mark Leier Senior Supervisor Professor Karen Ferguson Supervisor Professor Roxanne Panchasi Supervisor Associate Professor Lara Campbell Internal Examiner Professor Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Joan Sangster External Examiner Professor Gender and Women’s Studies Trent University Date Defended/Approved: January 15, 2016 ii Ethics Statement iii Abstract This dissertation investigates the experiences of five Canadian anarchists commonly knoWn as the Vancouver Five, Who came together in the early 1980s to destroy a BC Hydro power station in Qualicum Beach, bomb a Toronto factory that Was building parts for American cruise missiles, and assist in the firebombing of pornography stores in Vancouver. It uses these events in order to analyze the development and transformation of anarchist activism between 1967 and 1985. Focusing closely on anarchist ideas, tactics, and political projects, it explores the resurgence of anarchism as a vibrant form of leftWing activism in the late tWentieth century. In addressing the ideological basis and contested cultural meanings of armed struggle, it uncovers Why and how the Vancouver Five transformed themselves into an underground, clandestine force.
    [Show full text]
  • 301-309. Consumer Activism for Social Change A
    Lightfoot, E. B. (2019). Consumer Activism for Social Change. Social Work, 64(4), 301-309. Consumer Activism for Social Change Abstract Consumer activism, or activism through participating in the market such as through boycotts or ethical shopping, is the most common form of political action in the United States aside from voting. While consumer activism was a popular macro practice social work intervention by social work pioneers and has been an important part of many social change movements, it is rarely discussed formally in the field of social work today. This article provides an overview of consumer activism as a social work intervention, describes historical and twenty-first century examples of consumer activism, discusses the effectiveness of consumer activism, and discusses the strengths and challenges of consumer activism for social workers who engage in it either professionally or personally. This is the unedited Author’s Copy. The published article is: Lightfoot, E. B. (2019). Consumer Activism for Social Change. Social Work, 64(4), 301-309. Lightfoot, E. B. (2019). Consumer Activism for Social Change. Social Work, 64(4), 301-309. Consumer activism is activism taken by consumers through participating in the market. This can involve activities such as choosing to shop for only fair-trade products or boycotting a company because of its labor practices. Consumer activism has a long history in the United States (US), and more than half of US citizens have participated in a form of consumer activism in their lives, with more than a third participating in the past year (Keeter, Zukin, Zndolina & Jenkins, 2002). Aside from voting, consumer activism is the most common way that citizens engage in political participation and is far more common than other types of political engagement, such as contacting legislators, fundraising for charity, taking part in a protest or volunteering for a candidate.
    [Show full text]
  • Unit 7 Consumer Movement in Select Countries
    UNIT 7 CONSUMER MOVEMENT IN SELECT COUNTRIES Structure 7.0 Objectives 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Consumer Movement in America 7.3 Consumer Mmement in Europe 7.4 Consumer Movement in Asia-Japan 7.5 Consumer Movement in Developing/Third World Countries 7.6 Let Us Sum Up 7.7 Key Words 7.8 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises 7.0 OBJECTIVES This unit deals with the Consumer Movement in some select countries of Asia, Europe and America. A study of thc comparative growth of consumer movement in terms of issues involved and patterns of growth will enable you to : Understand the origin of consumer movement and issues involved in different countries. @ Appreciate the differences as well as similarities in the patterns of growth of consumer movement in different countries. 0 Take note of the role of women in the consumer movement. Draw lessons for expanding the consumer movement in India. 7.1 INTRODUCTION In Unit 6 on the consumer movement in India, you have studied history and growth of consumer movement in the country and its influence. You must have realised that even while the consumer movement in our country has become strong and some important consumer organisations and activists have made a great impact, there are still many challenges facing the movement. In other countries on the other hand, the consumer movement has been very successful in terms of consumer being taken seriously. Some of them, of course, face problems; which are similar to India. Information exchange and dissemination is the need of the hour. In this unit, we will , attempt issue based comparison of consumer movement in some developed countries of America, Europe, and Asia.
    [Show full text]
  • Roadside Retail Will Need to Attract Visits by More Than Just the Visual Dimension (The Eyeball Test) It Relied On
    THE SHAPE OF FOOD RETAILING IN THE NEW NORMAL 5: UNDERSTANDING ROADSIDE CONSUMERS RETAIL NEW TECHNOLOGY "The industry as a whole must shift from planning to providing an adequate response to the key strategic question that will determine its future. “Why will the consumer of 2030 visit my roadside outlet?” FOODSERVICE The authors "Roadside retail will need to attract visits by more than just the visual dimension (the eyeball test) it relied on for decades. It will no longer be enough to have a large COFFEE fuel price sign, compelling price, a (hopefully) clean and easy to access lot, to influence customer behavior to shop the site. Within this decade, that long-standing consumer purchasing behavior will endure seismic shifts, becoming more influenced by technology platforms able to make deeper connections. The future FUELS & EV CHARGING dimensions of consumer attraction will be more dependent on technology and other factors, that will transform fuel retail marketing from an interruption during a travel journey to an intentional destination” MARKETING Chris Gheysens, CEO Wawa This paper is motivated by a desire to help roadside retailers to successfully and profitably operate with changing consumer demands. THE SHAPE OF FOOD RETAILING CONTENTS IN THE NEW NORMAL 5: 1. Foreword 2. Introduction ROADSIDE 3. Consumer needs 4. Fresh food for today 5. Services RETAIL 6. Technology and data insights 7. Critical store success pillars 8. Industry leader insights 9. Acknowledgments 10. Addendum: Quotes from industry leaders 11. About the authors 1. FOREWORD by DARRYL BURCHELL, FORMER HEAD OF BP GLOBAL CONVENIENCE RETAIL In this latest paper on the shape of food retail in the new normal, I am delighted that Scott and Dev, with the collaboration of Frank and Sabine, have now turned their sights to roadside retailing—a sector that I have been intimately involved with over the last few years.
    [Show full text]
  • 2014 ACCI Esther Peterson Lecture the Fourth Great Wave Of
    Consumer Interests Annual Volume 60, 2014 2014 ACCI Esther Peterson Lecture The Fourth Great Wave of Consumer Reform Stephen Brobeck, Executive Director Consumer Federation of America It is a great honor to give a lecture in honor of Esther Peterson at your annual meeting. With Ralph Nader, Esther has been the most important consumer leader in the history of our country. It was not just her impact, which was considerable, including the creation of my own organization. It was also her example—as I discussed at your 1998 annual meeting—that combined integrity, political engagement, concern for all consumers in the world, and recognition of the importance of information and education as well as policy reform. I think it very appropriate that ACCI, which is committed to research and education to serve the consumer interest, has named a lecture in her honor. A month ago, I informed Ginger I would talk about the past and future evolution of consumer advocacy. But in researching and thinking about this topic, I thought it would be more interesting to focus on one aspect of this subject—the recent, fourth great wave of consumer advocacy and policy reform. Back in 1970, ACCI member Bob Herrmann published a paper—The Consumer Movement in Historical Perspective—in which he identified three periods of unrest that led to significant consumer reforms. In his 1989 book on the consumer movement, another ACCI member, Rob Mayer, elaborated Bob’s thesis that there had been three eras of consumer activism in the U.S. Then, in an entry in our 1997 Encyclopedia of the Consumer Movement, Rob and Bob summarized and extended this thesis.
    [Show full text]
  • University Microfilms International 300 N
    HOME ECONOMICS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: MAJOR CHANGES IN ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE AND CURRICULUM Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Carver, Marie Negri Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 07/10/2021 01:34:37 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/290488 INFORMATION TO USERS This was produced from a copy of a document sent to us for microfilming. While the most advanced technological means to photograph and reproduce this document have been used, the quality is heavily dependent upon the quality of the material submitted. The following explanation of techniques is provided to help you understand markings or notations which may appear on this reproduction. 1. The sign or "target" for pages apparently lacking from the document photographed is "Missing Page(s)". If it was possible to obtain the missing page(s) or section, they are spliced into the film along with adjacent pages. This may have necessitated cutting through an image and duplicating adjacent pages to assure you of complete continuity. 2. When an image on the film is obliterated with a round black mark it is an indication that the film inspector noticed either blurred copy because of movement during exposure, or duplicate copy. Unless we meant to delete copyrighted materials that should not have been filmed, you will find a good image of the page in the adjacent frame.
    [Show full text]
  • Leiknd E.My Lg;Ksxh Dezpkjh
    EDITORIAL BOARD Shri Wajahat Habibullah : Chairman Shri Binod Kumar : Member Dr. Atindra Sen : Member Ms. B.V. Uma Devi : Member Shri S.K. Nandy : Member Dr. A. Subrahmanyam : Member Shri Manoj Ahuja : Member Ms. Arti Ahuja : Editor SUPPORTING STAFF Ms. Anju Vishnoi lEiknd e.My Jh otkgr gchcqYykg % v/;{k Jh fcuksn dqekj % lnL; Mk¡- vfrUnz lsu % lnL; Jherh ch- oh- mek nsoh % lnL; Jh ,l- ds uUnh % lnL; Mk¡- ,- lqczgkeU;e % lnL; Jh eukst vkgwtk % lnL; Jherh vkjrh vkgwtk % lEiknd lg;ksxh deZpkjh vatw fo'uksbZ ç'kkld THE ADMINISTRATOR Journal of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie 2001 fnlEcj] 2001 December, 2001 Hkkx@vad 44 la 2 Vol. XLIV No. 2 Copyright © 2001 SOFTRAIN, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie (Uttaranchal) This Journal or any part thereof may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. The views expressed and facts stated in the articles contained in this volume are of the individual authors and are in no way those of either the Editor, the institution to which he/she belongs, or of the publisher. Annual Subscription India Rs. 400 Foreign US$ 10 Published by : SOFTRAIN, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie (Uttaranchal) and Printed in India at Print Vision, Dehradun-248 001 FOREWORD iii Foreword We have in our hands the second issue of the "Administrator" for the year 2001. This has been a momentous year and has changed the course of the current history. It has in the process altered many perceptions, beliefs and the way we conduct our lives.
    [Show full text]
  • Ralph Nader, Lone Crusader? the Role of Consumer and Public Interest Advocates in the History of Freedom of Information†
    \\jciprod01\productn\S\SWT\24-1\SWT102.txt unknown Seq: 1 21-MAR-18 12:06 RALPH NADER, LONE CRUSADER? THE ROLE OF CONSUMER AND PUBLIC INTEREST ADVOCATES IN THE HISTORY OF FREEDOM OF INFORMATION† Tom McClean* I. INTRODUCTION .......................................... 41 R II. CONSUMER ADVOCATES MATTERED .................... 43 R A. United States ........................................ 47 R B. United Kingdom .................................... 53 R C. Australia ............................................ 57 R III. EXPLAINING THE HISTORY OF CONSUMER ADVOCACY .60 R A. Why Did Decisive Mobilisation Arise When and Where It Did? ...................................... 61 R B. Why Did Consumer Advocacy Subside As An Important Factor? ................................... 66 R IV. CONCLUSION ............................................ 71 R I. INTRODUCTION This article examines the role of consumer and public interest ad- vocates in the diffusion of freedom of information laws. Scholarly study of this issue has been uneven. Ralph Nader is widely-known to have played a very important role in the 1974 amendments to the United States Freedom of Information Act † This article was revised from a paper submitted to “Freedom of Information Laws on the Global Stage: Past, Present and Future,” a symposium held at Southwestern Law School on Friday, November 4, 2016. The Symposium was organized by Professor Michael M. Epstein and Professor David Goldberg and jointly by Southwestern’s Journal of International Media and Entertainment Law and Journal of International Law. * This article draws heavily on research conducted while the author was at the London School of Economics, and was supported by a Research Students grant. 41 \\jciprod01\productn\S\SWT\24-1\SWT102.txt unknown Seq: 2 21-MAR-18 12:06 42 SOUTHWESTERN JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL LAW [Vol.
    [Show full text]
  • Advertising Council, Consumer Movement & Ad Industry Public
    Advertising Council, consumer movement & ad industry public relations Selling Advertising The Ad Industry's Battle Against the Consumer Movement of the 1930s: An Interview with Inger Stole Carrie McLaren | Issue #18 I was pretty psyched to come across Inger Stole’s dissertation, Selling Advertising. For the last couple of years, I’ve been obsessed with the history of advertising–specifically, advertising’s relationship to its critics. A large part of this history deals with the industry’s long-standing efforts to better its rep, through the Advertising Council and other efforts, to shape what the public thinks when they think of "advertising." In retrospect, sixty-plus years later, these efforts sound straight out of Public Relations 101: lobbying groups, fake grassroots groups, campaigns to advertise advertising, and "charitable" efforts. Unfortunately, the history of the ad industry’s PR machine is largely unwritten–which is what makes Inger Stole’s work so important. Selling Advertising is one of the first in-depth studies of the ad industry’s fight against critics. Although not intended for mass consumption, it is rich with detail on the 1930s and 1940s, a period that in many ways set the stage for what has followed. Inger Stole teaches at the University of Illinois, where she is working on a book about the 1930s consumer movement. —Carrie McLaren Stay Free: How did you become interested in the consumer movement? What was your point of entry? Inger Stole: For my master’s thesis, I researched the role that advertising played in setting up 1950s television, and I started thinking, "Why didn’t anyone say this stinks?" Television was set up to be purely commercial and that was never questioned.
    [Show full text]