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An Analytical Framework For Studying The Politics Of Consumption: The Case Of The National Consumers' League, Wendy A. Wiedenhoft Murphy
An Analytical Framework For Studying The Politics Of Consumption: The Case Of The National Consumers' League, Wendy A. Wiedenhoft Murphy
Sociology
Consumption is not often addressed in the literature on social movements even though consumer organizations and consumer tactics have been successful in achieving social change. This paper offers an analytical framework for studying the politics of consumption, which suggests that consumers can be conceived of collectively as active agents rather than passive individuals. I capture this active agency through four concepts: mobilization, problematization, identification, and contention. I focus on one consumer organization, the National Consumers' League, and its three consumer tactics, white lists, white labels, and legislation, in order to demonstrate how the analytical framework I construct can be applied.
Consumer Tactics As "Weapons": Black Lists, Union Labels, And The American Federation Of Labor, Wendy A. Wiedenhoft Murphy
Consumer Tactics As "Weapons": Black Lists, Union Labels, And The American Federation Of Labor, Wendy A. Wiedenhoft Murphy
Sociology
This article examines the role consumer tactics played in the American Federation of Labor's (AFL) strategy of business unionism. In particular, it explains how the AFL used its consumer tactics to try to mobilize the purchasing power of union members and their families to fight for higher wages and shorter working hours. The historical data collected for this article demonstrates that the AFL was not ignorant of the relationship between production and consumption, or the worker and the consumer. I discuss how the AFL used its consumer tactics to try to build solidarity across its affiliated trade unions and provide …