Veganism: Collective political movement or individualistic ethical consumerism?
Is veganism an inherently individualistic and moralistic form of political activity or a collective practice to resist the commodification of nonhuman animals and capital’s expropriation of nature?
JEREMY GILBERT: Veganism (or, at least, consumption of “plant based” foods) has exploded in the last few years. But what is the relationship between veganism, the climate crisis and the politics of green social justice? Is veganism an inherently individualistic and moralistic form of political activity or a collective practice to resist the commodification of nonhuman animals and capital’s expropriation of nature? How and why has veganism become part of the online “culture wars”?… Listen to the podcast here.
Speakers:
- Eva Haifa Giraud, Senior Lecturer in Digital Media and Society at the University of Sheffield, author or Veganism: Politics, Practice and TheoryFrom “Veganism: Politics, Practice, and Theory”: “What exactly do vegans believe? Why has veganism become such a critical and criticized social movement, and how does veganism correspond to wider debates about sustainability, animal studies, and the media? Eva Haifa Giraud offers an accessible route into the debates that surround vegan politics, which feed into broader issues surrounding food activism and social justice… Drawing on a range of examples, from recipe books with punk aesthetics to social media campaigns, Giraud shows how veganism’s radical potential is being complicated by its commercialization, and elucidates new conceptual frameworks for reclaiming veganism as a radical social movement”. Giraud engages with arguments in favor of veganism, as well as the criticisms levelled at vegan politics.
- Jacob Mukherjee, convener of MA Political Communications at Goldsmiths, University of London, currently researching digital vegan activism and left praxis
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