Flore Janssen Bücher

Uncovers the central roles of women in organized consumer activism in the UK and USA between 1885 and 1920. Ethical consumption and consumer choice are pivotal in today's public debates, yet consumer activism has deep historical roots. In the late nineteenth century, women activists leveraged their status as consumers to campaign against labor exploitation. By the early twentieth century, they had established an international network of Consumers' Leagues that shaped public opinion and spurred legislative change. Flore Janssen analyzes the writings of both prominent and lesser-known women activists, offering fresh insights into campaigns that significantly impacted workers' rights and women's social status. The book emphasizes the social, economic, and political influence of women as activists, discussing various campaign strategies while also addressing the problematic aspects of these movements. Through a critical analysis of this consumer movement, it reveals the origins of many contemporary consumer campaign strategies. Flore Janssen is an Assistant Professor in Comparative Literature at Utrecht University, co-editor of "Margaret Harkness: Writing Social Engagement 1880-1921," and has extensively published on marginalization, activism, and archives.