Let Them Eat Fair-Trade Chocolate Cake

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Let Them Eat Fair-Trade Chocolate Cake

Ethical Consumption, Responsibilization, and the Citizen-Consumer in the Age of Neoliberalism

Sociology: work and labour Behavioural economics Political economy

Author: Kathleen Gish

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Collection: Economics and Finance

Language: English

Published by: Springer

Published on: 30th September 2025

Format: LCP-protected ePub

ISBN: 9783032044143


Neoliberalism and Responsibilization

Neoliberalism is a politico-economic framework that emphasizes deregulation, free trade, and minimal government intervention in the economy; further, it suggests that social issues are best addressed through market mechanisms. Responsibilization occurs when individuals internalize responsibility for addressing problems caused by large social structures, and is a salient instrument in the inculcation of neoliberal ideology.

Focus of the Monograph

This monograph examines ethical consumption within the context of cultural neoliberalism. Using a qualitative approach, the book is organized around a series of interviews with self-identified ethical consumers and their experiences of responsibilization.

Chapter Topics

The chapters explore the spaces in which these consumers deploy their efforts, the ways they attempt to shape the market through their economic agency, the ideologies that inform their approach, and the way they conceptualize their own identities as ethical consumers.

Revealing Ethical Consumption Dilemmas

Revealing the dilemmas intrinsic in the undertaking of ethical consumption, including instances of role strain, role conflict, and the frustration and sense of futility consumers can feel in the face of the global capitalist juggernaut, this volume provides a nuanced view of the behavior of the ethical consumer.

Target Audience

As such, it will be of interest to researchers and students across the disciplines of economics, sociology, politics, and business.

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