Conceptualizing Political Consumerism as Part of the Value Chain

The globalization of production chains has triggered an abundance of political consumer campaigns aimed at promoting global social and environmental responsibility. What is the most effective way to conceptualize and gauge the impact of these campaigns? I explore these issues through an examination of Global Value Chain (GVC) and similar approaches used to assess the impact of codes of conduct and corporate social responsibility on the production end of the chain. After summarizing key GVC research, I examine a range of critiques of both the GVC approach and the limits of political consumerism. I conclude reflecting on two different frameworks, the System of Provision (SOP) and Global Poverty Chain (GPC) approaches, which provide foundational critiques of GVC analysis and open new doorways for research and rethinking political consumerism and the globalization of production and consumption.