Ethics and Everyday Consumption: A Critical Exploration From Decolonial and Feminist Perspective
In an essay that critically engages with relevant geographical scholarship on consumption (ideally both from course readings and beyond), explore the relationship between ethics and everyday consumption. Be specific about the consumption practices you are examining, as well as what you consider to be "ethics" in this context. Unpack the scholarly debates on these issues, and set out your own argument answering the question. Your essay should be between 1500 and 2000 words.
Please include references from at least 5 of the papers below and cite in text. The references are:
- Crang, P. (2014) "Material geographies," in P. Cloke, P. Crang and M. Goodwin (eds) Introducing Human Geographies. Third Edition. London: Routledge. pp. 276-291.
- Kythreotis, A.P. and Jonas, A.E.P. (2023) "Scale," in L. Lees and D. Demeritt (eds) Concise Encyclopedia of Human Geography. Cheltenham and Massachusetts: Edward Elgar. pp. 358-361.
- Cook, I. (2004) "Follow the thing: Papaya," Antipode, 36(4): 642-664.
- Evans, D. M. (2019) "What is consumption, where has it been going, and does it still matter?," The Sociological Review, 67(3): 499-517.
- Iqani, M., and Kenny, B. (2015) "Critical consumption studies in South Africa: roots and routes," Critical Arts, 29(2): 95-106.
- McEwan, C., Hughes, A. and Bek, D. (2015) "Theorising middle class consumption from the global South: A study of everyday ethics in South Africa’s Western Cape," Geoforum, 67: 233-243.
- Barnett, C., Cloke, P., Clarke, N. and Malpass, A. (2005) "Consuming ethics: Articulating the subjects and spaces of ethical consumption," Antipode, 37(1): 23-45.
- Dengler, C. and Seebacher, L. M. (2019) "What about the global south? Towards a feminist decolonial degrowth approach," Ecological Economics, 157: 246-252.
- Cross, J., & Murray, D. (2018) "The afterlives of solar power: Waste and repair off the grid in Kenya," Energy Research & Social Science, 44: 100-109.
- Moore, A. (2012) "Garbage matters: Concepts in new geographies of waste," Progress in Human Geography, 36(6): 780-788.
- Taffel, S. (2023) "AirPods and the earth: Digital technologies, planned obsolescence and the Capitalocene," Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space, 6(1): 433-454.
Ethical Considerations in Everyday Consumption: A Critical Exploration from Decolonial and Feminist Perspectives
Your Name
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October 30, 2023
The act of consumption is inherently multifaceted, interlinking various aspects such as ethics, power dynamics, and the pervasive global inequalities that underpin societal structures. These aspects manifest vividly within fast fashion—an industry notorious for its expedited production processes and trend-driven strategies. This paper embarks on a meticulous exploration, utilizing critical geographical scholarship to dissect and elucidate the intricate intersections of these components. Guided by profound insights from feminist and decolonial perspectives, the objective is to unravel the nuances of consumption practices and their ethical implications within this industry. Everyday consumption transcends the simplistic notion of acquiring and utilizing goods; it emerges as a complex web of interactions deeply embedded within global networks characterized by power, exploitation, and resistance. Aiming to unfurl the ethical layers of consumption, this exploration finds its foundation in the robust frameworks provided by feminist and decolonial scholars, fostering a nuanced understanding and transformation of the practices and ethics in consumption (Dengler & Seebacher, 2019).
Feminist Perspectives on Consumption
Embarking on this analytical journey, feminist critiques present themselves as pivotal beacons, illuminating the landscapes of consumption with nuanced understandings and critical assessments. These critiques uniquely emphasize the entrenched patriarchal structures and the prevalent gender inequalities that resonate within the realms of production and consumption processes, particularly within the fast fashion industry. In the illuminating works of Hawkesworth (2006), there unfolds a wealth of insights offering a critical lens to scrutinize and challenge the androcentric models that conspicuously pervade the practices of consumption within fast fashion. This feminist perspective underscores the imperative of weaving principles such as care, reciprocity, and gender justice into the fabric of our ethical understandings and consumptive practices. Such an
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