Description
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Eat this book. If you’re lucky enough to find it in the trash, dig it out and bite in. It’s sociologically fresh and environmentally nutritious. Alex V. Barnard writes crisply and invitingly, and his analysis of the ‘fetishism of waste’ is novel and helpful. This is ethnography as it is meant to be: going through the trash and thrash of everyday life and uncovering analytic treasures—free to be had, if we only stop to look."—Michael Bell, University of Wisconsin-Madison
"In Freegans, Alex V. Barnard examines how this group of activists aims to change the way we live on this world, one overripe tomato at a time."—Tristram Stuart, author of Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal
"Readers with interests in social justice, activist movements, environmentalism, consumerism, and food waste will find this book thought-provoking."—Library Journal
"Barnard’s book is refreshing ... an important and thorough critique of food waste."—On the Brink
"The timeliness of many themes, from political disenfranchisement and social movements to climate change and food security, make this a compelling and urgent read. Barnard’s easy and accessible writing style ensures this book is also engaging and valuable to a non-academic audience."—Environmental Politics
"This engaging, well-written book, full of vivid observations and interviews, is sure to attract a wide readership. Highly recommended."—CHOICE
"This work will shed light on how alternative activists are enacting a more sustainable future today, and citizens who are doubtful that sustainability can be attained via conscious consumption might find inspiration in freegans’ radical waste politics."—Food, Culture & Society
"Barnard succeeds in making visible drivers of ecological destruction in capitalism and provides a thoughtful analysis of the strengths, weaknesses and inconsistencies of anti- capitalist social movements."—Environmental Values
"A wonderful text for a social movement class looking for a well written, enjoyable read to illustrate the recruitment, tactics, role of identity and culture, and decline of a movement."—Mobilization
"This thorough account reminds us of the dangers of capitalist co-option and the need to stick to our values when the world around us appears blind. Freegans reveal a more complete story of capitalist waste and want that to contribute to unraveling these complex issues."—The British Journal of Sociology
"A critical addition to undergraduate and graduate classes on the subject."—Agriculture and Human Values
"Barnard’s re-conceptualization of freegans’ speeches and practices offers other interesting insights."—European Journal of Sociology
Table of ContentsContents
Preface
Introduction: A Brief History of a Tomato
1. Capitalism’s Cast-offs
2. Diving In, Opting Out
3. Waving the Banana in the Big Apple
4. A New World Out of Waste
5. The Ultimate Boycott?
6. Backlash, Conflict, and Decline
Conclusion: Salvaging Sustainability
Acknowledgments
Notes
Index
