OUTI LUNDAHL From a moral consumption ethos to an apolitical consumption trend The role of media and celebrities in structuring the rise of veganism ACTA WASAENSIA 381 BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ACADEMIC DISSERTATION To be presented, with the permission of the Board of the Faculty of Business Studies of the University of Vaasa, for public dissertation in Auditorium Kurtén (C203) on the 8th of September, 2017, at noon. Reviewers Professor Johanna Moisander Aalto University P.O. Box 21210 00076 AALTO Docent Minna Autio University of Helsinki P.O. Box 27 00014 UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI III Julkaisija Julkaisupäivämäärä Vaasan yliopisto Syyskuu 2017 Tekijä(t) Julkaisun tyyppi Outi Lundahl Esseeväitöskirja Orcid ID Julkaisusarjan nimi, osan numero Acta Wasaensia, 381 Yhteystiedot ISBN Vaasan yliopisto 978-952-476-760-6 (painettu) Kauppatieteellinen tiedekunta 978-952-476-761-3 (verkkoaineisto) Markkinointi ISSN PL 700 0355-2667 (Acta Wasaensia 381, FI-65101 VAASA painettu) 2323-9123 (Acta Wasaensia 381, verkkoaineisto) Sivumäärä Kieli 239 Englanti Julkaisun nimike Moraalisesta kulutuseetoksesta epäpoliittiseen kulutustrendiin: Median ja julkkisten rooli vegaanitrendin rakentajana Tiivistelmä Tämän väitöskirjan tutkimuskysymyksenä on, mikä rooli medialla ja julkkiksilla on aiemmin marginalisoidun kulutuskäytöksen muuttumisessa trendikkääksi. Tätä kysymystä tutkitaan vastuullisen kulutuksen ja erityisesti veganismin kautta eri teoreettisten linssien läpi strukturaalisesta näkökulmasta. Ensimmäinen essee tuo julki mediainstituutioiden roolin vastuullisen kulutuksen statuksen selittäjänä. Toinen essee taas keskittyy veganismin destigmatisointiin Iso-Britanniassa. Se keskittyy median ja julkkisten symbioottiseen rooliin, ja liittää tämän kehityksen laajempiin ideologioihin. Näiden kahden esseen pohjalta väitöskirja rakentaa teoreettisen viitekehyksen, joka selittää, miksi media ja julkkikset ovat edistäneet tätä muutosta. Kaksi viimeistä esseetä taas tutkivat prosessia, jolla tämä muutos on tapahtunut. Kolmas essee analysoi veganismin statuksen nousua, tai ns. co-optation-prosessia, brittiläisessä mediassa. Se kehittää uuden vaihemallin, joka tuo julki julkkisten kaksijakoisen roolin tässä prosessissa. Neljäs essee taas tutkii median ns. meta-pääoman roolia veganismin nousussa käyttäen Bourdieun kenttäteoriaa. Näiden kahden esseen pohjalta väitöskirja rakentaa bourdieulaisen viitekehyksen, joka selittää, miten media ja julkkikset ovat myötävaikuttaneet veganismin nousuun. Asiasanat Media, julkkikset, veganismi, vastuullinen kulutus, yhteiskunnallinen muutos V Publisher Date of publication Vaasan yliopisto September 2017 Author(s) Type of publication Outi Lundahl Doctoral thesis, essay-based Orcid ID Name and number of series Acta Wasaensia, 381 Contact information ISBN University of Vaasa 978-952-476-760-6 (print) Faculty of Business Studies 978-952-476-761-3 (online) Marketing ISSN P.O. Box 700 0355-2667 (Acta Wasaensia 381, print) FI-65101 Vaasa 2323-9123 (Acta Wasaensia 381, online) Finland Number of pages Language 239 English Title of publication From a moral consumption ethos to an apolitical consumption trend: The role of media and celebrities in structuring the rise of veganism Abstract The research question of this thesis is what is the role of media and celebrities in the rise of a marginalised form of consumption. This question is explored through the rise of sustainable consumption and particularly veganism through different theoretical lenses, from a structural point of view. Through media analysis, the first essay uncovers the role of the media institution in explaining the status of sustainable consumption. The second essay focuses on the symbiotic role of media and celebrities in the destigmatisation of veganism in British media, and relates the development to wider ideologies. Based on these essays, the thesis builds a framework explaining why media and celebrities have contributed to this change. Conversely, the last two essays explore the process by which this change has happened. The third essay analyses co-optation of veganism in British media. The paper develops a novel stage model of co-optation which highlights the two-fold role of celebrities in the process. Finally, the fourth essay explores the role of media meta-capital in the rise of veganism using Bourdieu’s field theory. Based on these essays the thesis develops a Bourdieusian framework of how media and celebrities contribute to the rise of veganism. Keywords Media, celebrities, veganism, sustainable consumption, societal change VII ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS In the words of the Doctor, “a straight line may be the shortest distance between two points, but it is by no means the most interesting.” Similarly, my thesis journey could have taken a straighter route. All in all, it has been written in the low lands of Ostrobothnia, in the graffiti ridden and bohemian Eastern Berlin, in sunny Melbourne, in tropical Queensland, in the alpine scenery of the South Island in New Zealand, the “paradise island” of Koh Tao in Thailand, back in jolly old Berlin and, after months and months of being “almost finished”, finally finished in Maastricht, of all places. Academically, I have also taken many detours, exploring many different, often surprising ideas to my topic. I certainly did not think four years ago that I would spend such a major part of my thesis talking about Beyoncé. No doubt there would have been a straighter way to get to this point but it probably would not have been as interesting, rewarding or successful. Now, however, it is time to thank all of those who have helped me along the way. Firstly, without research grants from Suomen kulttuurirahasto, Nissin säätiö and Vaasan yliopistosäätiö this thesis would not have been possible. The University of Vaasa, Pohjanmaan korkeakoulukeskus, Liikesivistysrahasto and Maastricht University have also enabled me to attend several high-level conferences and seminars, and I am very grateful for the financial assistance as the journey would have been completely different without them. I want to also thank my supervisor, Professor Harri Luomala. Our ontological differences made the journey challenging but hopefully the end result justifies the choices made. Thank you for all your valuable input and for putting up with me. Similarly, a big thank you to a fellow CCTer and second supervisor, Dr. Henna Syrjälä, who provided valuable feedback especially in the last meters. As for my co-author, Dr. Alex... what can I say. Over three years ago, a strange German man sat next to me at a doctoral seminar in Brussels. Never did I think he would end up becoming such a big influence in my life. And for all that, I still owe you a big bottle of gin. As for my fellow sufferer, Petteri, thank you for letting off steam with me so often. It has been very cathartic. Thank you also for your peer reviews, coding help, trips to Berlin and Australia, as well as keeping me company in my little Micra on the road to Vaasa many, many moons ago. VIII Finally, Robert: thank you for the bootstraps, all the intertextuality and for, without a doubt, being the most infuriatingly frustrating person I have ever had the pleasure to meet. I also must thank all the other people who have brightened up my day immensely along this journey. Irma – thank you for taking me in to your home and your life. Without you I would not have had the opportunity to spend a wonderful year in Australia and for that I will always be very grateful. Anton, well, what would the year in Australia have been without you! Thank you for amusing me, and for attempting to help me with this thesis. Similarly, thank you, Salla. Without you I probably never would have had the courage to leave. A big thank you also to the long list of all the fellow scholars who I have had the pleasure of meeting in various seminars and conferences. Moreover, I want to thank all the people who took me in at Maastricht University. It took awhile for a CCTer with neo-Marxist affinities to find her place in a managerially and quantitatively driven business school but I think we got there in the end. I would also like to thank all the people at the Finnish Association for Environmental Education for making me believe that we can indeed change the world for the better. I hope my thesis will be a small step in that direction despite all the skepticism. And finally, I have to thank my parents who always encouraged me to read, learn, and write, and, ultimately, to do it my way. Isä ja äiti – kiitos. And with these words, I now give you my Rita Hayworth. On a rare sunny day in Maastricht on 11 April, Outi Lundahl IX Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................... VII 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................. 1 1.1 The phenomena under study ................................................... 3 1.1.1 A brief history of sustainable consumption ............... 4 1.1.2 A brief history of veganism ....................................... 5 1.2 Positioning of the thesis: media and celebrities in societal transformation ........................................................................ 8 1.3 The aims and intended contributions of the thesis ................. 11 2 STRUCTURAL RESEARCH AND SOCIETAL TRANSFORMATION ............ 17 2.1 Conceptualising change in radical structuralism and Bourdieusian analysis ............................................................ 17 2.2 “Propaganda model” .............................................................