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This thesis has been submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for a postgraduate degree (e.g. PhD, MPhil, DClinPsychol) at the University of Edinburgh. Please note the following terms and conditions of use: This work is protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights, which are retained by the thesis author, unless otherwise stated. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author. The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author. When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given. Ethical consumption: Identities, practices and potential to bring about social change Submitted by Margarita Komninou In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Research Sociology - School of Social and Political Sciences The University of Edinburgh Scotland – 2014 iii Abstract In recent decades, individuals as well as businesses – mainly those living and operating within advanced capitalist systems – have become increasingly aware of the social context of production and, thus, of the impact consumption has on the environment, animals and other fellow humans. Such reflexivity is echoed both in spheres of production (e.g. corporate social responsibility policies) and consumption (e.g. labelling schemes such as fair-trade and organic). Under these conditions the ‘ethical consumer’ was born. While, however, the concepts of ethical and political consumption have been around for some time now, our understanding of what it really means to be ‘ethical’ as a consumer today is still very fuzzy. In contrast with previous studies which ascribe a priori certain meanings and criteria to the ethical consumer concept, this study follows a bottom-up approach that provides space for individuals to express their own views on ethical consumption. To cater for a deeper understanding of the phenomenon under investigation, the research is designed as a case study within a specific geographical location; Partick, Glasgow. This study makes use of primary data generated through 20 in-depth interviews with self-identified ethical consumers, 10 interviews and 15 questionnaires with managers of grocery shops operating in the area, as well as 112 questionnaires completed by the public in a street survey. The findings challenge our conventional understanding of ‘ethics’ in the context of consumption; being ethical as a consumer extends beyond simply purchasing ethically marketed products and services, to include various lifestyle choices. Consumers raised concerns about the degree and nature of change that conventional ethical consumption can achieve. Utilising insights from this research, the study draws a conceptual distinction between the “ethical Shopper” (representing the side of ethical consumption that is hegemonically market-driven) and the “ethical Consumer” (representing its creative, pro-active, agency-driven counterpart). It is suggested that the latter allows consumption as a tool for social change to reach its full potential, since it escapes the fabricated ‘ethics’ of the market. Feeding back to the theoretical frameworks of ethical and political consumption, this study highlights the class and taste bias built into the (very expensive) idealized model of ethical lifestyle and, thus, calls for the inclusion of different types of consumer action such as downshifting, file-sharing, or even collective shoplifting, which have been –until now – neglected. iv v Declaration This is to certify that that the work contained within has been composed by me and is entirely my own work. No part of this thesis has been submitted for any other degree or professional qualification. Signature: Date: vi vii Contents List of Tables. ............................................................................................................................. xiv List of Pictures. ............................................................................................................................ xv List of Figures. ............................................................................................................................. xv List of Diagramms. ..................................................................................................................... xv List of Charts. ............................................................................................................................. xvi Abbreviations. ............................................................................................................................ xvii Prologue. ...................................................................................................................................... xix Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 What is ethical consumption? ........................................................................................ 2 1.1.1 Birth and use of the term .................................................................................... 2 1.1.2 Describing ethical consumption ........................................................................ 3 1.1.3 The politicisation of ethical consumption ........................................................ 4 1.2 Why investigate the phenomenon of ethical consumption? ..................................... 5 1.3 What is this study about then? (or Aims and Objectives) ......................................... 9 1.4 Why sociology ?(or Embracing a sociological perspective) ..................................... 12 1.5 Who cares? (or Audience for this thesis) ................................................................... 13 1.6 What's next ? (or Overview of the chapters to follow) ............................................ 14 Chapter 2: Literature Review .................................................................................................... 17 Part I 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 18 2.2 Consume, Consumption, Comsumerism and the Consumer ................................. 19 viii 2.3 Consumer society and consumer culture ................................................................... 24 2.3.1 The emergence of consumer societies ............................................................ 25 2.3.2 The rise of consumer societies ......................................................................... 27 2.3.3 Consumer culture ............................................................................................... 31 2.3.4 Contemporary society: reflexivity, risk and liberalism .................................. 34 2.3.5 The shaping of contemporary consumption as a new form of political participation ......................................................................................................................... 37 Part II 2.4 Conceptualising ethical and political consumption .................................................. 41 2.4.1 Practices ............................................................................................................... 41 2.4.1.1 Boycotts ....................................................................................................... 43 2.4.1.2 Buycotts ....................................................................................................... 45 2.4.1.3 Discursive practices ................................................................................... 46 2.4.1.4 Screening and relationship purchasing .................................................... 46 2.4.2 ‘Anti-consumption’ and ‘sustainable consumption’ ...................................... 47 2.4.3 Areas of conflict in ethical consumerism ........................................................ 52 2.4.4 Goals and adversaries in ethical consumption ............................................... 55 2.4.5 Individual and collective aspect of ethical consumption .............................. 58 2.4.6 Summary and comments ................................................................................... 60 2.5 Politicising consumption .............................................................................................. 61 2.5.1 Citizenship and consumers ............................................................................... 62 2.5.2 Globalisation and the ‘Cosmopolitan’ consumer .......................................... 65 2.5.3 Consumption and voting................................................................................... 67 2.5.4 Traditional and New Consumer Movements ................................................. 69 2.6 Ethical consumer Identity ............................................................................................ 70 2.6.1 Types of identities .............................................................................................. 71 2.6.2 How different identities are organised ............................................................ 74 ix 2.6.3 The ethical consumer as an identity ................................................................ 76 2.6.4 The ethical consumer