What is it about?
This is about three cases of nationalist struggles in Europe where consumption and politics intersect (in the phenomenon of political consumerism). The chapter outlines how political consumerism can and has been used for democratically dubious purposes and argues that political consumerism can also lend itself to politics that are not always progressive. The first (local) level is the case of a neighbourhood group boycotting the selling of halal only meat in a new supermarket in London, the second (regional) level is the Spain-Catalunya dispute through boycotts, and the third (national) level is concerned with the German boycott in austerity-stricken Greece. Located at different societal levels of struggle (local, regional and national) these cases illustrate contradictions and tensions in the intersection between political consumerism and nationalism, illustrating the ideological ambiguity inherent in nationalism.
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Why is it important?
This is important as the age of citizen consumers places politics in the sphere of the market and exacerbates nationalist sentiment at all local, regional and national levels. Through an exploration of contemporary case studies, we can witness the spread of nationalism in everyday politics.
Perspectives
This is a topic that manifests in various different contexts at the global level. It would be interesting to explore how ideology is used by populist leaders/ parties. Other work I have published is interested in the theorising of nationalism and political consumerism.
Dr Eleftheria Lekakis
University of Sussex
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Nationalist Struggles in Europe, May 2018, Oxford University Press (OUP),
DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190629038.013.32.
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