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The Political Economy of Reuse: Organizing for Reform and Transformation of the Make-and-waste Economy

Auty, Leon LU (2024) HEKM51 20241
Department of Human Geography
Human Ecology
Abstract
In light of the shortcomings of dominant recycling strategies in dealing with the plastic crisis, the circularity strategy of reuse is receiving increasing attention. Due to its goal of extending product lifespans, reuse is often seen as a more progressive strategy that aims to prevent waste rather than diverting it. Investigating the emerging phenomenon of reuse organizations in a multiple-case study, I advance the political-economic understanding of the concept of reuse, differentiate between reformist and transformative organizing, and discuss potential futures of reuse economies. I deployed semi-structured interviews as a main method to analyze the value relations in reuse organizing. The study’s thematic analysis yielded four themes:... (More)
In light of the shortcomings of dominant recycling strategies in dealing with the plastic crisis, the circularity strategy of reuse is receiving increasing attention. Due to its goal of extending product lifespans, reuse is often seen as a more progressive strategy that aims to prevent waste rather than diverting it. Investigating the emerging phenomenon of reuse organizations in a multiple-case study, I advance the political-economic understanding of the concept of reuse, differentiate between reformist and transformative organizing, and discuss potential futures of reuse economies. I deployed semi-structured interviews as a main method to analyze the value relations in reuse organizing. The study’s thematic analysis yielded four themes: relations within reuse models mediated by use value, relations within reuse models mediated by exchange value, cooperation vs market competition, and standardization vs market fragmentation. While all reuse organizations aim to increase use value by establishing new relations that facilitate the circulation of items, tensions and contradictions arise due to commodification. Subsequently, I elaborate a possible transformative future of reuse and highlight the conceptual importance of decommodification in transformative paradigms such as degrowth. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Auty, Leon LU
supervisor
organization
course
HEKM51 20241
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Reuse, Circular Economy, Reform, Servitization, Transformation, Degrowth, Decommodification, Value Relations
language
English
id
9166282
date added to LUP
2024-07-24 11:46:11
date last changed
2024-07-24 11:46:11
@misc{9166282,
  abstract     = {{In light of the shortcomings of dominant recycling strategies in dealing with the plastic crisis, the circularity strategy of reuse is receiving increasing attention. Due to its goal of extending product lifespans, reuse is often seen as a more progressive strategy that aims to prevent waste rather than diverting it. Investigating the emerging phenomenon of reuse organizations in a multiple-case study, I advance the political-economic understanding of the concept of reuse, differentiate between reformist and transformative organizing, and discuss potential futures of reuse economies. I deployed semi-structured interviews as a main method to analyze the value relations in reuse organizing. The study’s thematic analysis yielded four themes: relations within reuse models mediated by use value, relations within reuse models mediated by exchange value, cooperation vs market competition, and standardization vs market fragmentation. While all reuse organizations aim to increase use value by establishing new relations that facilitate the circulation of items, tensions and contradictions arise due to commodification. Subsequently, I elaborate a possible transformative future of reuse and highlight the conceptual importance of decommodification in transformative paradigms such as degrowth.}},
  author       = {{Auty, Leon}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The Political Economy of Reuse: Organizing for Reform and Transformation of the Make-and-waste Economy}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}