Schudson 2007 Citizens Consumers-And-The-good-society ANN AMERINCAN ACAD POL SOCIAL SCIENCE
Journalism 614: Opinion & Political Consumerism. Citizens and Consumers Michael Schudson ’ s “...
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Transcript of Journalism 614: Opinion & Political Consumerism. Citizens and Consumers Michael Schudson ’ s “...
Journalism 614:Opinion & Political Consumerism
Citizens and Consumers
Michael Schudson’s “post-moralist” position Mistake to identify political action with public-spirited
motives and consumer behavior with self-interested motives Both political behavior and consumer behavior can be either
public-spirited or self-interested. – Consumer opinions can be expressly political and public-spirited
• Boycotting Walmart, Buying Ben & Jerry’s, or Dumping French Wine
– Consumer behavior can create contexts that serve democracy• Talk: Coffee houses in 18th c. London
• Informal Networks: Harley Riders, Mac Enthusiasts
– Political behavior often is not public-spirited but egocentric • Voting for policies that benefit one’s own pocketbook or personal circle
Bourdieu & Cultural Capital
The economy of cultural goods - cultural capital– Food, drink, sports, fashion, manners, home décor, art,
music, and literature - all have the ability to define
Cultural goods circulate as a form of power or capital, as markers of distinction among classes – Class status is gained and lost through consumption
We can acquire access to social circle by displaying appropriate taste, manners, culture– Consumption maintains patterns of power and inequality
Bourdieu’s Distinction
Great innovation was connecting cultural capital with the social practices of establishing hierarchies, maintaining distances, and legitimating class differences
– “Taste classifies, and it classifies the classifier. Social subjects, classified by their classifications, distinguish themselves by the distinctions they make” - Distinction, 1979/1984
But do these insights hold in 21st Century America? What insights does blurring the line between citizen and
consumer provide for research on media and opinion? How can opinion research help illustrate these links and
clarify the connections between consumption and politics?
Cultural Capital in America
France in the 1960s - relatively stable class structure / stratified system of institutions
US in the 2000s - consumption is less clearly the outcome of intersection of class and culture – Rather consumption actively shapes culture
– Climate of opinion focuses on consumption
– Media consumption particularly important
Goal of project:– Map the consumption and politics in US based on
occupation, media use, buying behavior, media preferences, and indicators of civic engagement
Mapping the Social Space
A relational approach to consumption– Each choice is seen as a difference, a distinction, a
property existing only through its gap with other choices
The social space– Relative status positions people perceive themselves to
occupy, along perceptions of positions that others occupy
Typically two dimensions– Overall volume of the capital they possess
• (high vs. low quantities of capital)
– The composition of their capital • (relative proportion of economic vs. cultural capital)
Established ProfessionalsHighly Educated
Prestige News MediaHigh Culture and ArtInternational Travel
Check and Letter ActivismEnvironmental
Community Work
Service WorkersBroadcast News Media
Urban SophisticatesVolunteerism & Membership
Ideological ModeratesSocial Dramas & Info TV
Executives and SalesHigh Income
Mainstream PaperFashion and High-End Retail
Stay at Luxury HotelsSkiing, Golf, and TennisLittle Civic Engagement
TechniciansYouthful
Sports & DrinkHyper-Technological
Highly SexualizedCar Magazines - SUV
Low IncomeLow EducationLive at HomeSoap Operas Print Tabloids
Few Civic Practices
OlderConservative
Female HomemakersChurch AttendanceReligious Programs
Moralist / Justice DramasLocal News Viewing
UrbanWorking Class
Police Reality TVBlack Sitcoms
Discount ShoppingLow-No Church
Anti-CivicGambling
YoungerExurban
Industry & ServiceRock n’ RollYouth MediaOutdoor Life
GearheadNASCAR
Porn
Social Space in America
Many similarities to Bourdieu’s France
– Especially upper right quadrant,
Communal-individual continuum forms the horizontal axis
– Raw v. cooked, competitive v. nurturing, genteel v. aggressive
Importance of Gender and Age in US
– Reveals elements missing from Bourdieu, who focused on men
– Gender and age help define opinion, consumption, politics in US
Clear correspondence between civic behavior, political
ideology, and the social positioning of taste cultures
Blurring Lines: The Consumer-Citizen
Growing alignment among consumptive and civic• Human Rights and anti-sweatshop
• Unfair labor practices and fair trade coffee
• Environmentalism and hybrid cars
• Economic equality and discount designers
• Patriotism and buying American
• Localism and boycotting chain retailers
• Anti-globalism and fast food retailers
• Global poverty and health and “Red” campaign
– Not less, just different - new form of participation
Political Consumers
Who is a socially conscious consumer and why? Is this at odds with civic participation? Is it
contradictory to status conscious consumption? What is the role of media and talk in political
consumerism? What about the Internet? Is political consumerism really increasing, and if
so, what explains change over time?
“Lifestyle” Politics
Find direct and indirect connections of dispositional, communication, and consumption orientations
Conventional and online news encourage political consumption through opinions and actions– Environmental concerns
– Political talk
Explains cross-sectional links and over time change– Strong evidence of a meaningful relationship