Ribbon Culture: Charity, Compassion, and Public Awareness

Sarah Moore

Research output: Book/Report › Book

Abstract

Since its emergence in 1991, the 'awareness' ribbon has achieved the kind of cultural status usually reserved for big brand icons and religious symbols; yet its meaningfulness as a symbol is often questioned by activists and media commentators. Certainly, 'showing awareness' is not as straightforward a social practice as it might at first seem. The ribbon is, for example, both a kitsch fashion accessory as well as an emblem that expresses empathy; it is a symbol that represents awareness, yet requires no knowledge of the cause it represents; it appears to signal concern for others, but in fact prioritises self-expression. Ribbon Culture explores ambiguities surrounding these ribbons, the nature of contemporary mourning practices, the sociology of compassion, the marketing discourses of charities and the relationship between awareness and consumerism.
LanguageEnglish
PublisherPalgrave Macmillan
Number of pages240
ISBN (Print)9780230247895
StatusPublished - 2010

Fingerprint

Charity
Compassion
Symbol
Empathy
Religious Symbols
Icon
Marketing
Discourse
Kitsch
Commentators
Self-expression
Social Practice
Consumerism
Fashion Accessories
Meaningfulness
Activists
Sociology
Causes
Emblems

Keywords

  • charity
  • compassion
  • awareness
  • risk
  • Gender

Cite this

Ribbon Culture : Charity, Compassion, and Public Awareness. / Moore, Sarah.

Palgrave Macmillan, 2010. 240 p.

Research output: Book/Report › Book

Moore, S 2010, Ribbon Culture: Charity, Compassion, and Public Awareness. Palgrave Macmillan.
Moore S. Ribbon Culture: Charity, Compassion, and Public Awareness. Palgrave Macmillan, 2010. 240 p.
Moore, Sarah. / Ribbon Culture : Charity, Compassion, and Public Awareness. Palgrave Macmillan, 2010. 240 p.
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