Details

Consumer Policy from Below

Paradoxes, Perspectives, Problematizations

von: Kai-Uwe Hellmann, Ansgar Klein, Bernward Baule
85,59 €
Verlag:	Springer
Format:	PDF
Veröffentl.:	01.09.2023
ISBN/EAN:	9783658424893
Sprache:	englisch

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Beschreibungen

Titelbeschreibung

Since its existence in the 1950s, consumer policy in Germany has been understood and pursued primarily as a bundle of actions and measures initiated and institutionalised by the state. In many cases, the state has also issued corresponding mandates and set up support models, which has created the impression that we are basically dealing with a 'consumer policy from above' imposed by macro-politics. Not that there have not been repeated attempts in the past decades to give impetus to consumer policy from the middle of civil society - often in the form of small citizens' initiatives. And in recent years in particular, a number of new consumer organisations have emerged which operate much closer to the grass roots. Nevertheless, the impression seems to have taken root among the large, government-related 'players' in the field, who have been in the 'business' for decades, not to mention government-internal consumer policy, that consumer policy concerns a policy field that is essentiallyordered by a collaboration of the state on the one hand, and consumer protection organisations representing all consumers equally on the other, while the many small consumer initiatives, not even started by individual committed consumers, regularly fall behind in comparison. This perspective refers largely to the view of and from the centre of politics. This volume is intended to go some way towards countering the institutionally prevailing impression that, in principle, there is only 'consumer policy from above' that is really effective and assertive.The translation was done with the help of artificial intelligence. A subsequent human revision was done primarily in terms of content.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

The responsible consumer as an outdated model? - Political consumption and political participation.- Responsibility and accountability.- The cultural-moral dimension of consumption.- Actors, activists, initiatives, organizations and associations.

Autorenportrait

Apl. Prof. Dr. Kai-Uwe Hellmann teaches consumer and economic sociology at the Institute of Sociology at the Technical University of Berlin.PD Dr. Ansgar Klein is Managing Director of the Federal Network for Civic Engagement (BBE). Bernward Baule worked at the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection with a focus on consumer research/consumer education and is a freelance author.

Back cover copy

For a long time, consumer policy in Germany presented itself as a network of actions, organisations and strategies that was particularly close to the state, i.e. oriented towards it. For the most part, corresponding mandates were issued by the state or with state approval and support, funding models were set up and laws were enacted, which could give the impression that there was essentially only a 'consumer policy from above' imposed by macropolitics. In recent years, however, this asymmetry has shifted permanently in favour of civil society, keyword 'political consumption', and meanwhile there are so many actions, initiatives and organisations that one can probably speak of a steadily growing 'consumer policy from below'. This anthology traces these changes to some extent. The content - The responsible consumer as a discontinued model? - Political consumption and political participation - Responsibility and accountabilities - The cultural-moral dimension of consumption - Actors, activists, initiatives, organisations and associations The editors Apl. Prof. Dr. Kai-Uwe Hellmann teaches consumer and economic sociology at the Institute of Sociology at the Technical University of Berlin. PD Dr. Ansgar Klein is Managing Director of the Federal Network for Civic Engagement (BBE). Bernward Baule worked at the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection with a focus on consumer research/consumer education and is a freelance author. The translation was done with the help of artificial intelligence. A subsequent human revision was done primarily in terms of content.

Sonderbeitrag

Consumer policy impulses from the middle of civil society Stakeholders, associations and initiatives Interdisciplinary approaches to a much-discussed topic