The precarity of respectable consumption: normalising sexual violence against women

Rohit Varman*, Paromita Goswami, Devi Vijay

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Drawing upon feminist scholarship, this study offers insights into how respectable consumption exacerbates precarity and contributes to normalisation of sexual violence in Delhi, India. It helps to uncover androcentricity of respect that has been under-examined in marketing theory. This research identifies androcentric discourse of izzat or respect as a key discursive apparatus that enframes sexual violence against women. In this discourse, women are carriers of family traditions and respect or honour. Moreover, norms of consumption get situated within discourse of izzat and alterity is created from women who do not follow these norms. Such women, labelled as unrespectable, live under conditions of heightened precarity and are blamed for the sexual violence they face. Therefore, this work offers insights into normalisation of sexual violence that have not been understood in marketing theory.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)932-964
Number of pages33
JournalJournal of Marketing Management
Volume34
Issue number11-12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 24 Jul 2018

Keywords

  • feminist
  • gender
  • India
  • precarity
  • respect
  • Sexual violence

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Strategy and Management
  • Marketing

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