MA / Thesis (MA (Political Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Consumers are gradually becoming influential actors in the international arena. The
21st century consumer has taken on a new identity, namely that of a citizen-consumer.
A rising awareness of the importance of ethical purchasing behaviour has made
political citizen-consumers a vehicle through which change in normative behaviour in
the capitalist world economy could be attained. Activists have realised the support that
political consumers could give to campaigns that strive to achieve norm change.
Consumers have the power to hold multinational corporations (MNCs) accountable for
unjust practices, and through their purchasing decisions, pressure MNCs to change the
manner in which they operate.
In order to determine to what extent political consumerism could contribute to
international norm change, one has to understand how norms emerge, when norms are
accepted and at which point norms become internalised. The theoretical framework of
the life-cycle of norms is ideal to test the possibilities that political consumerism holds
in the quest for norm change. The application of norm life-cycle framework to case
studies provides evidence that political consumerism has already announced itself as a
vehicle for change. Campaigns such as the conflict diamonds campaign and the Fair
Trade movement have already successfully co-opted consumers to support the goals of
these campaigns and have achieved some results in changing the behaviour and
policies of MNCs. Political consumers have therefore already embarked on the
journey towards norm change, but have not yet been able to bring the norm to
internalisation.
The study determines which stage in the norm life-cycle political consumerism has
managed to reach. Related to this, it asks whether it is in fact possible for activists and
political consumers to complete the norm life-cycle and thereby effect norm change to
enhance capacity for social justice in capitalism. The study also concerns itself with
the persuasion strategies that have been used and could still be used by activists to
pursue change in the normative behaviour of consumers and MNCs. Persuasion is
central to convincing actors to accept and internalise a new norm. The study situates
these persuasion strategies within the norm life-cycle, in order to identify the
challenges facing the consumer movement and possible solutions to assist political
consumerism to reach its full potential. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die internasionale arena het verbruikers gaandeweg die rol van invloedryke akteurs
begin aanneem, naamlik dié van burgerlike-verbruikers. ‘n Toenemende bewustheid
van die belangrikheid van etiese aankope het gedurende die 21ste eeu die politieke
burgerlike-verbruiker in ‘n akteur omskep, wat normatiewe verandering in die
kapitalistiese globale ekonomie te weeg kan bring. Aktiviste het besef dat politieke
verbruikers steun aan veldtogte kan verleen wat na norm verandering streef. Omdat
verbruikers oor die vermoë beskik om multi-nasionale korporasies (MNKs) vir
onregverdige gebruike aanspreeklik te hou deur aankoop besluite, kan hul sodoende
MNKs dwing on hul gebruike te verander.
‘n Begrip van die ontstaan en aanvaarding van norme, kan ook help om vas te stel tot
watter mate politieke verbruiking tot internasionale norm verandering bydra. Die
teoretiese raamwerk van die lewens-siklus van norme is ideaal om die potensiaal van
politieke verbruiking te toets. Die toepassing van die norm lewens-siklus op
gevallestudies bewys dat politieke verbruiking alreeds as ‘n middel vir verandering
uitgekristaliseer het. Veldtogte, soos die konflik diamante veldtog en die “Fair Trade”
beweging, het alreeds daarin geslaag om verbruikers te werf om die doelwitte van
hierdie veldtogte te steun. Hierdie veldtogte het sodoende daarin geslaag om die
verandering van MNKs se gedrag en beleid te bewerkstellig. Politieke verbruikers het
hul reeds met die veldtog geassosieer om norm-verandering te laat plaasvind.
Die studie het bepaal watter stadium in die norm lewens-siklus politieke verbruiking
reeds bereik het, asook of dit moontlik vir aktiviste en verbruikers is om die siklus te
voltooi en norm-verandering te laat plaasvind. Hierdie norm-verandering sal ook die
vermoë vir die sosiale regverdiging van die kapitalistiese stelsel verbeter. Die studie
het ook die aktiviste se oorredingstrategië uiteengesit, asook watter strategië in die
toekoms kan gebruik word om die normatiewe gedrag van verbruikers en MNKs te
verander. In die aanvaarding van nuwe norme speel oorreding ‘n belangrike rol. Die
studie plaas daarom hierdie oorredingstrategië binne die norm lewens-siklus, sodat dit
die uitdagings kan identifiseer wat die verbruikers-beweging in die gesig staar. Dit sal
daarom vir die studie moontlik maak om werkbare opplossings voor te stel, wat
politieke verbruiking tot sy volle potensiaal kan voer.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/4109 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Theron, Jean Monique |
| Contributors | Van der Westhuizen, J., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Political Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 112 p. : ill. |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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