Commodifying what nature? Castree, Noel
Progress in human geography,
06/2003, Volume:
27, Issue:
3
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
In this essay contemporary Marxist writings on the commodification of nature in capitalist societies are reviewed systematically. Recent research on commodities in human geography, cultural studies ...and related fields have been largely post or non-Marxist in tenor and have paid relatively little attention to the ‘natural’ dimensions of commodities. By contrast, recent Marxist writings about capitalism-nature relations have tried to highlight both the specificity of capitalist commodification and its effects on ecologies and bodies. This fact notwithstanding, it is argued that the explanatory and normative dimensions of this Marxist work are, respectively, at risk of being misunderstood and remain largely implicit. On the explanatory side, confusion arises because the words ‘commodification’ and ‘nature’ are used by different Marxists to refer to different things that deserve to be disentangled. On the normative side, the Marxian criticisms of nature's commodification are rarely explicit and often assumed to be self-evident. The essay offers a typology of commodification processes relating to specific natures with specific effects to which a variety of criticisms can be applied. Though essentially exegetical rather than reconstructive, the essay tries to pave the way for a more precise sense of how the commodification of nature in capitalist societies works and why it might be deemed to be problematic.
Religion, on the one hand, is something sacred, but on the other hand, there is a phenomenon wherein it is used to earn profits for business. It appears that religion has turned into a marketing ...point that alters the sacred nature of the essence of religion itself, with religious symbols serving as a way to attract consumers' interest in purchasing goods. This study describes the phenomenon of religious commodification in light of the Quran. The qualitative research method was used in the present study. Primary data were collected from business owners near Tuan Guru Babussalam Langkat's graveyard area. The field research data were analyzed from the viewpoint of the Qur'an. The findings indicated that Babussalam, Langkat has certain aspects of religious commodification. The components of commercialization include honouring intellectuals and requesting favours, or tabarruk. According to the Qur’an, the practice of commercializing religion is acceptable because no verses condemn the actions of the residents of Babussalam village.
Extant research on bodily commodification emphasizes contexts, where market actors can pursue commodification in relatively unconstrained ways. However, scant research examines how marketers foster ...bodily commodification in markets, where institutional constraints limit the value which can be extracted, produced and/or exchanged. We fill this gap by studying sperm donation services in the United Kingdom and Australia, where a number of governmental regulations limit bodily commodification and value creation processes. Using an archival analysis of visual and textual material, we find that sperm banks in these constrained contexts strategically rely on the marketing of masculine archetypes as a source of value. This article delineates the concept of constrained bodily commodification and its marketing implications. Moreover, it evidences sociocultural discursive mechanisms by which marketers attempt to overcome constrained commodification issues. Specifically, we emphasize the role of gender archetypes as a resource, which allows sperm banks’ marketers to transfer identity value to the donor and donation experience. Finally, this article also has implications for the theorizing of value creation by expanding our understanding of how value is created during consumer disposition processes.
Based on archival research and interviews with state officials and state-affiliated academics, this article argues that the Chinese state's decision to slow down rural land transfer since 2017 is a ...Polanyian countermovement against the adverse consequences of earlier, excessive labor and land commodification. The central government's drive for land consolidation is contingent upon and structurally constrained by the process of rural labor commodification. By focusing on connections between land and labor and situating agrarian transformation under the context of national capital accumulation, this study examines land beyond agriculture and argues for the continued importance of the classical Agrarian Questions.
In the United States the prevailing public policy approach to mitigating the harms of internet surveillance is grounded in the liberal democratic value of transparency. While a laudable goal, ...transparency runs up against insurmountable structural constraints within the political economy of commercial surveillance. A case study of the data broker industry reveals the limits of transparency and shows that commodification of personal information is at the root of the power imbalances that transparency-based strategies of consumer empowerment seek to rectify. Despite significant challenges, privacy policy must be more centrally informed by a critical political economy of commercial surveillance.
Web 2.0 and social media applications that allow people to share, co-create and rate online content are crucial new ways for conservation organizations to reach audiences and for concerned ...individuals and organizations to be (seen as) ‘green’. These dynamics are rapidly changing the politics and political economy of nature conservation. By developing the concept of ‘nature 2.0’ and building on empirical insights, the article explores and theorizes these changes. It argues that online activities stimulate and complicate the commodification of biodiversity and help to reimagine ideas, ideals and experiences of (‘pristine’) nature. By exploring the implications of these arguments in relation to several key themes in new media studies, the article aims to provide building blocks for further investigations into the world of nature 2.0 and the effects of new media on human–nature dynamics more broadly.
In recent years, the proliferation of tourists in the urban environment has generated several issues in the functioning of cities. As urban tourism has historically been linked to cultural and ...architectural attractions, this increased tourism pressure has involved and often compromised the common heritage uses. Therefore, many cases saw the implementation of measures that, if on the one hand reduced tourist flows, on the other also drastically restricted the access for residents and totally altered the sense of place in the community. This article explores this topic by applying a Critical Discourse Analysis methodology to the dispute that took place in Barcelona regarding the restricted access to Park Güell. The main results of this work concern the instrumentalisation of both the UNESCO label and participatory processes in the case of Barcelona, along with the failure of regulative measures to solve the problems related to tourism pressure. The article advocates the usage of more qualitative-oriented analyses to address the relationships between urban planning, heritage management and tourism management.
Gamelan Selonding is a form of traditional music found in Tenganan Pegringsingan village, with a pelog tujuh nada in barungan alit classification that is sacred, unique, and deeply rooted in the ...community. The traditional way of life and productive religious activities with their numerous manifestations ensure Gamelan Selonding’s continuity and authenticity. According to historical dynamics, the influence of external culture and its various modernization styles disrupted Gamelan Selonding’s existence, resulting in its commodification. The commodification of Gamelan Selonding is a process that encompasses three stages, namely production, distribution, and consumption. In production, Gamelan Selonding is duplicated into a commodity by imitating its original form; distribution is an attempt to spread Gamelan Selonding production, which increases development consequences; and consumption Gamelan Selonding is used as a ritual compliment and an artistic medium. The Gamelan Selonding’s commodification occurs due to its adaptable nature; it can accept, absorb, and adapt to changing circumstances, resulting in a diversity of functions, not limited to ritual contexts, but a broader social context. The commodification of Gamelan Selonding is an artistic dynamic that empowers the potential of traditional arts in the formulation of contemporary performing arts expressions, accepted as a local spectacle capable of competing in a global culture.
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