Informal economic activity and political consumption
Published:
Jul 25, 2023
Keywords:
political consumerism, informal economy, Greece, ethnography, consumer agency
Abstract
Drawing upon findings from an ethnographic study conducted in crisis-ridden Greece, this article explores consumer participation in the informal economy and illustrates the diversity of political discourse embedded within this type of economic activity. The study focused on 24 consumers from three distinctive theoretical categories (termed ‘ethical consumers’, ‘active citizens’ and ‘disqualified consumers’) and involved a variety of data collection methods (including observation, kitchen tours, shop-along and interviews). Empirical evidence demonstrates that to fully appreciate consumer activity and consumer agency in the informal economy, it is imperative to recognise informal modes of acquisition and exchange that do not resemble formal market transactions.
Article Details
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Komninou, M. (2023). Informal economic activity and political consumption. The Greek Review of Social Research, 161, 157–183. https://doi.org/10.12681/grsr.35039
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- 2023: 161
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