In a politically uncertain and distrusted world, citizens appear to be seeking political expression in their everyday lives and quite prominently in their consumption practices. In advanced consumer societies, the politics of consumption have come to the centre stage.
This book elaborates on the grounded perceptions, practices and problematizations of the equation of political action and market action. It presents the opportunities and hindrances of alternative forms of partaking in civic life by exploring how coffee activism presents a fruitful opportunity for citizens to participate in political life, how cultural citizenship can offer insights into the operation of everyday politics and how neoliberal narratives are framing discourses of coffee activism. The politics behind products can illuminate global tensions and engage citizens in social justice, but at the same time can confine civic action in the marketplace and anesthetise political action.

Freer Trade, Sustainability, and the Primary Production Sector in the Southern European Union is the first full-scale academic work to cap ture the primary production sector policy aspects of trade liberaliza tion and sustainability with a detailed focus on a typical southern EU country, Greece. Many efforts were pooled together in making this book. In May 1996 the Department of Economics of the University of Crete organ ized an international conference on European Agriculture in the light of the recent WTO agreement and the need for sustainable develop ment. The conference was sponsored by the European Commission (DG XII, contract no ENV4-CT-96-6514), the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC, contract no L320263049), the Hellenic Ministries for Agriculture and for the Environment, and the University of Crete. While summarizing the conclusions of the conference, sev eral speakers felt that the issues relating to the Southern EU would de serve separate coverage. The conference directors judged that cover age of the issues for a single Southern EU country might have an ad vantage, regarding detail, over a cross country analysis which would certainly be welcome at a later stage. Responding to this call, the University of Crete generously reallo cated all of its infra-structural costs covered by DG XII, ESRC, and the other sponsors above, in the form of a new grant to host a follow-up conference aiming to explore the issues for Greece."

"A crucial intervention to both critical studies of consumption and research into activism. It authoritatively explores the complex and multiplying links between branding and neoliberal culture, consumer practices and social justice." - Professor Mehita Iqani, Stellenbosch University "Eleftheria Lekakis reminds us that as consumers, we can do much more than just buy our way out of social or political problems." - Professor Melissa Aronczyk, Rutgers University Consumption and resistance are entwined. From buying fair-trade, to celebrity advocates for social causes, to subvertising and anti-consumerist grassroots movements, consumer activism is now a key part of our fight for social and environmental justice. This book is a comprehensive exploration of the complexities and dilemmas of using the marketplace as an arena for politics. It goes beyond simply buying or boycotting to critically explore how individuals, collectives, corporations and governments do politics with and through consumption. Impassioned and always accessible, Eleftheria Lekakis explores: The media and economic logics which privilege elite activists. The real opportunities to resist and redirect promotional culture. Consumer activism as collective and community-building. The politicisation of celebrity influencers. The centrality of digital media technology. A range of transnational case studies pushing the field beyond the Global North. Consumer Activism: Promotional Culture and Resistance covers the full breadth of theory and practice you need to know. It is an essential resource for understanding, researching and engaging with the global phenomenon of consumer activism. Dr Eleftheria Lekakis is senior lecturer in Media and Communications at the School of Media, Arts, and Humanities at the University of Sussex.

This book explores the politics borne of consumption through the case of coffee activism and ethical consumption. It analyses the agencies, structures, repertoires and technologies of promotion and participation in the politics of fair trade consumption through an exploration of the relationship between activism and consumption.

Freer Trade, Sustainability, and the Primary Production Sector in the Southern European Union is the first full-scale academic work to cap ture the primary production sector policy aspects of trade liberaliza tion and sustainability with a detailed focus on a typical southern EU country, Greece. Many efforts were pooled together in making this book. In May 1996 the Department of Economics of the University of Crete organ ized an international conference on European Agriculture in the light of the recent WTO agreement and the need for sustainable develop ment. The conference was sponsored by the European Commission (DG XII, contract no ENV4-CT-96-6514), the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC, contract no L320263049), the Hellenic Ministries for Agriculture and for the Environment, and the University of Crete. While summarizing the conclusions of the conference, sev eral speakers felt that the issues relating to the Southern EU would de serve separate coverage. The conference directors judged that cover age of the issues for a single Southern EU country might have an ad vantage, regarding detail, over a cross country analysis which would certainly be welcome at a later stage. Responding to this call, the University of Crete generously reallo cated all of its infra-structural costs covered by DG XII, ESRC, and the other sponsors above, in the form of a new grant to host a follow-up conference aiming to explore the issues for Greece."

"A crucial intervention to both critical studies of consumption and research into activism. It authoritatively explores the complex and multiplying links between branding and neoliberal culture, consumer practices and social justice." - Professor Mehita Iqani, Stellenbosch University "Eleftheria Lekakis reminds us that as consumers, we can do much more than just buy our way out of social or political problems." - Professor Melissa Aronczyk, Rutgers University Consumption and resistance are entwined. From buying fair-trade, to celebrity advocates for social causes, to subvertising and anti-consumerist grassroots movements, consumer activism is now a key part of our fight for social and environmental justice. This book is a comprehensive exploration of the complexities and dilemmas of using the marketplace as an arena for politics. It goes beyond simply buying or boycotting to critically explore how individuals, collectives, corporations and governments do politics with and through consumption. Impassioned and always accessible, Eleftheria Lekakis explores: The media and economic logics which privilege elite activists. The real opportunities to resist and redirect promotional culture. Consumer activism as collective and community-building. The politicisation of celebrity influencers. The centrality of digital media technology. A range of transnational case studies pushing the field beyond the Global North. Consumer Activism: Promotional Culture and Resistance covers the full breadth of theory and practice you need to know. It is an essential resource for understanding, researching and engaging with the global phenomenon of consumer activism. Dr Eleftheria Lekakis is senior lecturer in Media and Communications at the School of Media, Arts, and Humanities at the University of Sussex.