Market Campaigns: An Effective Contribution to the Global Justice Movement?

This paper explores the question: “What do NGO representatives working on market campaigns believe that market campaigns effectively contribute to social change? How do these NGO representatives see their work contributing to a larger Global Justice Movement, if at all? How do their worldviews inform the extent to which NGO representatives consider market campaigns to be effective?”Data was collected by reviewing current literature in the field, conducting 10 phenomenological iterative interviews with NGO representatives working on market campaigns, and participating in the 2006 Business Ethics Network (BEN) Annual Conference. Information was also gathered through informal conversations with market campaigners during networking events and social gatherings in the San Francisco area.The research findings show that NGO representatives working on market campaigns do hold different worldviews, ranging from “reform capitalism” to “overthrow capitalism” perspectives. They also hold different (but not necessarily contradictory) opinions about what is most effective about market campaigns in achieving global justice, and about what the limitations of market campaigns are. Interestingly, however, was that all participants—regardless of worldview—believed that market campaigns were effectively contributing to global justice. Participants also expressed a desire to have more conversations with other campaigners about the broader Global Justice Movement and the role that market campaigns play, as these conversations are not currently being had.