Humanities in the Village: Rachel Waxman

Description

The Alexander Grass Humanities Institute and Bird in Hand Charles Village present the next installment of Humanities in The Village. Rachel Waxman, a PhD candidate in History at Johns Hopkins, will be presenting research-in-progress on sugar rioting and consumer boycotts in Paris during the French Revolution in order to explore how political, economic and cultural factors led to new forms of consumer action during this period.

Today, many people turn to their perceived power as consumers to send messages or enact change. From boycotting companies and countries to forgoing entire categories of products, for many people, connecting purchasing habits with broader goals and beliefs has become almost second nature. But have consumers always perceived themselves as wielding power through what they buy or don't buy?