‘Can we talk about redesigning the fashion system without challenging capitalism itself?’ A Critical Discourse Analysis of Circular Economy in the Fashion Industry
(2021) In Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science MESM02 20211LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)
- Abstract
- The fashion industry accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions and has significant sustainability problems. To reduce those, a shift towards a Circular Economy is promoted as a holistic approach to system change. In order to show how the discourse, as opposed to this claim, reproduces the dominant structures of the fashion industry, a Critical Discourse Analysis is applied. Taking a political ecology approach, the analysis reveals how the discourse depoliticises social and environmental struggles, proposes technological solutions that should allow for business-as-usual, and is influenced by corporate interests. By reflecting the ideology of ecological modernisation, the discourse conceals core problems of the industry and deepens the... (More)
- The fashion industry accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions and has significant sustainability problems. To reduce those, a shift towards a Circular Economy is promoted as a holistic approach to system change. In order to show how the discourse, as opposed to this claim, reproduces the dominant structures of the fashion industry, a Critical Discourse Analysis is applied. Taking a political ecology approach, the analysis reveals how the discourse depoliticises social and environmental struggles, proposes technological solutions that should allow for business-as-usual, and is influenced by corporate interests. By reflecting the ideology of ecological modernisation, the discourse conceals core problems of the industry and deepens the hegemony of capitalism. The prevalent unequal power relations, as well as the growth-driven dynamics of production and consumption in the industry, are therefore reproduced. To redesign the fashion system, we do not only need to challenge capitalism but to fundamentally transform the economic system. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9047836
- author
- Siepenkort, Cara LU
- supervisor
-
- Darin Wahl LU
- organization
- course
- MESM02 20211
- year
- 2021
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Fashion Industry, Circular Economy, Sustainability Science, Critical Discourse Analysis, Political Ecology
- publication/series
- Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science
- report number
- 2021:014
- language
- English
- id
- 9047836
- date added to LUP
- 2021-06-02 07:47:43
- date last changed
- 2021-06-02 07:47:43
@misc{9047836, abstract = {{The fashion industry accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions and has significant sustainability problems. To reduce those, a shift towards a Circular Economy is promoted as a holistic approach to system change. In order to show how the discourse, as opposed to this claim, reproduces the dominant structures of the fashion industry, a Critical Discourse Analysis is applied. Taking a political ecology approach, the analysis reveals how the discourse depoliticises social and environmental struggles, proposes technological solutions that should allow for business-as-usual, and is influenced by corporate interests. By reflecting the ideology of ecological modernisation, the discourse conceals core problems of the industry and deepens the hegemony of capitalism. The prevalent unequal power relations, as well as the growth-driven dynamics of production and consumption in the industry, are therefore reproduced. To redesign the fashion system, we do not only need to challenge capitalism but to fundamentally transform the economic system.}}, author = {{Siepenkort, Cara}}, language = {{eng}}, note = {{Student Paper}}, series = {{Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science}}, title = {{‘Can we talk about redesigning the fashion system without challenging capitalism itself?’ A Critical Discourse Analysis of Circular Economy in the Fashion Industry}}, year = {{2021}}, }