Voters or Consumers: Imagining the contemporary electorate

250 Pages·2008·1.891 MB·English

by  Darren Lilleker and Richard Scullion

Voters or Consumers

Voters or Consumers:
Imagining the contemporary electorate

Edited by

Darren Lilleker and Richard Scullion

Cambridge Scholars Publishing
Voters or Consumers: Imagining the contemporary electorate, Edited by Darren Lilleker and Richard
Scullion

This book first published 2008 by

Cambridge Scholars Publishing

15 Angerton Gardens, Newcastle, NE5 2JA, UK

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Copyright © 2008 by Darren Lilleker and Richard Scullion and contributors

All rights for this book reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner.

ISBN (10): 1-84718-399-9, ISBN (13): 9781847183996
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface.......................................................................................................vii

Introduction.................................................................................................1
Darren G. Lilleker & Richard Scullion

Unintended Politics of Investing: The Social Pedagogy of Wall Street....12
Detlev Zwick, Janice Denegri-Knott & Jonathan E. Schroeder

The Construction of the Political Consumer (or Politics: What Not
to Consume)..............................................................................................35
Heather Savigny

The Impact of the Market on the Character of Citizenship,
and the Consequences of this for Political Engagement............................51
Richard Scullion

Branding the Mayor: Introducing Political Consumerism in Belgian
Municipal Elections...................................................................................73
Soetkin Kesteloot, Philippe De Vries & Christ’l De Landtsheer

Brand Blair: Marketing Politics in the Consumer Age..............................97
Margaret Scammell

George W, the Marlboro Man and the Messiah: How Voters
View Politics from a Consumerist Perspective........................................114
Dave Brown

Citizens, Consumers and the Demands of Market-Driven News............141
Dan Jackson

Consuming Elections? An Analysis of Youth (Non)Voting Behaviour..162
Janine Dermody and Stuart Hanmer-Lloyd
vi Table of Contents

Shifting Cognitive Gears: Exploring the Boundary between Citizen
and Consumer..........................................................................................186
Darren G Lilleker

The Lifeworld Model: Exploring Vagaries in Political Consumption....209
Dianne Dean

Conclusion...............................................................................................230
Consumerist Voters and Political Consumers: Reflecting on the Modern
Social and Political Landscape
Darren G. Lilleker & Richard Scullion

Contributors.............................................................................................238
PREFACE

This volume came about, firstly, from discussions about the theme for the
Conference which was to be held in London during February of 2007. The
Conference was the second of the Political Studies Association’s Political
Marketing Specialist Group and was entitled Voters or Consumers. That
question seemed to be one that dogged political marketing. If parties are
using marketing does that mean voters are now consumers, if so is that just
the parties’ attitude or is this a reflection of the parties’ treatment of its
public, or is it the case that modern society are all consumers now. The
theme was then picked up by those who came along and presented at the
event and those who subsequently contributed to this book. The structure,
subject coverage and range of debate is the result of a mixture of luck, in
terms of those who offered papers, and a little good judgement in filling
one or two gaps later. This collection of essays is intended to stimulate
thought and start a debate but not to answer the question. If anything this
volume adds perspectives, so making the waters of understanding voters
even muddier than previously. Perhaps that simply reflects the human
condition anyway.

We would like to thank everyone who came along to the event in
February, and especially all those who met our deadlines, took on board
our suggestions and produced the essays you have in front of you. We
would also like to thank the help and support offered to us by Cambridge
Scholarly Press, the publisher is always an important colleague in the
process. Finally a thank you to the friends and family of Darren and
Richard for putting up with us as we put the volume together, and also the
friends and families of all those who contributed chapters; while there may
only be one author behind a chapter, there are myriad people offering
encouragements and distractions when needed without whom we would
probably all be insane.

Darren & Richard

INTRODUCTION
DARREN LILLEKER & RICHARD SCULLION

The Speech from the Throne sets out the programme and policy which the
Labour party believes to be best in the interests of this country and the
policy it intends to carry out. Details will be explained more fully by other
speakers later in the Debate, but I want to try this afternoon to bring before
the House the gravity of the issues which confront us at home and abroad.
It is vital to realise that we have come through difficult years and we are
going to face difficult years, and to get through them will require no less
effort, no less unselfishness and no less hard work, than was needed to
bring us through the war. I know this is hard saying to people who have
worked so much and so hard and suffered so much, but it would be entirely
wrong not to represent the facts perfectly plainly before the whole people
of this country.
—Prime Minister Clement Attlee’s speech on the king's address August
16, 1945

At all times I will be strong in purpose, steadfast in will, resolute in action,
in the service of what matters to the British people, meeting the concerns
and aspirations of our whole country… As I have travelled around the
country and as I have listened and I’ve learnt from the British people, and
as Prime Minister I will continue to listen and learn from the British
people, I have heard the need for change.
—Gordon Brown's maiden speech as Prime Minister June 24, 2007

The above extracts are both from speeches made by British prime
ministers on taking office. The context perhaps could not be more
different, yet both set the scene for a period of change and perhaps of
healing. But in tone they reflect some profound differences in perspective
on the society they are addressing. Attlee, despite having toured the
country by car and delivered a number of speeches in town halls and
public areas, speaks as a leader. He positions himself as a prime minister
who has tough decisions to make and is warning the nation of equally hard
times ahead. In sharp contrast Gordon Brown sets out his stall as a prime
minister that is required to listen and respond to individuals’ concerns and
meet their aspirations. Perhaps what these speeches indicate is that a prime