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Mikael Klintman

Mikael Klintman

Professor

Mikael Klintman

Mass Consumption and Political Consumerism

Author

  • Magnus Boström
  • Mikael Klintman

Summary, in English

This chapter focuses on the relation between mass consumption and political consumerism. Mass consumption concerns the omnipresent role of consumption in contemporary societies with associated problems of excessive resource use in current practices of consumption. The late modern context and forces of mass consumption can both trigger and prevent political consumerism as well as shape its outcome. The chapter offers a literature review that addresses both examples of alternative consumption (e.g., buycotts) and various kinds of anticonsumption, which involve politically motivated ambitions to cut down on consumption. The chapter addresses how mass consumption activates political consumerist potentials, including sentiments towards anticonsumption. It furthermore shows how mass consumption makes people unable to link consumption to political considerations. Finally, the chapter analyses possibilities and difficulties in transforming niche political consumerist initiatives to the mainstream in a society that is dominated by mass consumption.

Department/s

  • Sociology

Publishing year

2018-01-01

Language

English

Pages

855-875

Publication/Series

The Oxford Handbook of Political Consumerism

Document type

Book chapter

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Topic

  • Sociology (excluding Social Work, Social Psychology and Social Anthropology)

Keywords

  • Alternative consumption
  • Anticonsumption
  • Mainstream
  • Niche
  • Sustainable consumption

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISBN: 9780190629038