Consumerism and the co-operative movement in modern British history : taking stock / edited by Lawrence Black and Nicole Robertson.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Black, Lawrence, 1971-

Robertson, Nicole.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Cooperative societies--Great Britain--History.

Cooperative societies.

Consumption (Economics)--Great Britain--History.

Consumption (Economics).

History.

Great Britain.

Physical Description:

xiv, 264 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm

Other Title:

Consumerism and the cooperative movement in modern British history

Place of Publication:

Manchester : Manchester University Press, [2009]

Summary:

Despite the abundance and quality of recent historical writing on consumerism, it cannot be said that the modern Co-operative movement (Co-op) has been well served. It has also been by-passed in studies that locate Britons' identity in their consumption. The reasons for this can be found in the widely perceived decline of the Co-op since the 1950s, but also in various historiographical agendas that have resulted in its relative invisibility in modern British history. This book, by demonstrating the variety of broader issues that can be addressed through the Co-op and the vibrancy of new historical research into consumption, seeks to remedy this.

Taking stock both of the Co-op in a broader context and of new approaches to the history of consumption, the book combines the work of leading authorities on the Co-op with recent scholarly research. It explores the Co-op's distinctive interface between everyday issues and grander idealistic concerns. The chapters intersect to examine a broad range of themes, notably: the politics of consumerism including consumer protection, ethical and fair trading and alternatives to corporate commerce; design and advertising; the Co-op's relations with other components of the labour movement; and its ideology, image and memory. The collection looks at the Co-operative movement locally (through specific case studies), nationally and also in comparison to the European movement.

This collection will appeal to academics, researchers, teachers and students of the economic, cultural and political history of twentieth-century Britain. It will also be of interest to academics and students of business studies, and Co-operative members themselves.

Contents:

1 Taking Stock: an introduction / Lawrence Black, Nicole Robertson 1

Part I Debating and constructing post-war decline

2 The post-war decline of the British retail co-operative movement: nature, causes and consequences / John K. Walton 13

3 'Trying to sell a parcel of politics with a parcel of groceries': the Co-operative Independent Commission (CIC) and consumerism in post-war Britain / Lawrence Black 33

4 Consumer co-operation and the transformation of modern food retailing: the British and Norwegian consumer co-operative movement in comparison, 1950-2002 / Espen Ekberg 51

Part II Ideologies and identities

5 The consumer co-operative movement in cross-national perspective: Britain and Sweden, c.1860-1939 / Mary Hilson 69

6 The identity of co-operative and mutual enterprises and the political sociology of Emile Durkheim: an introduction / Stephen Yeo 86

7 Irish railwaymen and the retail co-operative movement, 1917-23 / Conor McCabe 107

8 Employers and workers: conflicting identities over women's wages in the co-operative movement, 1906-18 / Rachael Vorberg-Rugh 121

9 'Mothers for Peace', co-operation, feminism and peace; the Women's Co-operative Guild and the anti-war movement between the wars / Andrew Flinn 138

Part III Consumerism and material culture

10 The commemorative urge: the co-operative movement's collective memory / Chris Wrigley 157

11 Promoting product quality: the Co-op and the Council of Industrial Design / Lesley Whitworth 174

12 Innovation, modernisation, consumerism: the co-operative movement and the making of British advertising and marketing culture, 1890s-1960s / Stefan Schwarzkopf 197

13 'Co-operation: the hope of the consumer'? The co-operative movement and consumer protection, 1914-60 / Nicole Robertson 222

14 'Cost of a cup of tea': Fair Trade and the British co-operative movement, c.1960-2000 / Matthew Anderson 240.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780719076848

0719076846

OCLC:

313645215