Adversaries of Consumption: Consumer Movements, Activism, and Ideology

TLDR

The article examines consumer movements that aim for ideological and cultural change, framing mainstream consumers as ideological opponents rather than clients, thereby challenging conventional New Social Movement theory. The study investigates anti‑advertising, anti‑Nike, and anti‑GE food activist movements using New Social Movement theory. The authors analyze the movements through New Social Movement theory, focusing on anti‑advertising, anti‑Nike, and anti‑GE food activism. The study shows that activists’ collective identity is tied to evangelical religious roots, highlighting the importance of spiritual identities for commitment, the risks of preaching to the unconverted, and the potential for movements to transform consumerist ideology and culture.

Abstract

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 consumerism. Conceiving mainstream consumers as ideological opponents inverts conventional NSM theories that view them as activists' clients.