Global Spin: The Corporate Assault on Environmentalism

by Sharon Beder

Global Spin reveals the sophisticated techniques being used around the world by powerful conservative forces to try to change the way the public and politicians think about the environment. Large corporations are using their influence to reshape public opinion, to weaken gains made by environmentalists, and to turn politicians against increased environmental regulation. The corporations' techniques include employing specialized PR?firms to set up front groups that promote the corporate agenda whilst posing as public-interest groups; creating 'astroturf' - artificially created grassroots support for corporate causes; deterring public involvement by imposing SLAPPS - strategic lawsuits against public participation; getting corporate-based 'environmental educational' materials into schools; and funding conservative think-tanks, which have persistently tried to cast doubt on the existence of environmental problems and to oppose stricter environmental regulations. In the media, corporate advertising and sponsorship are influencing news content, and industry-funded scientists are often treated as independent experts. This updated edition includes new chapters about the business campaign to prevent action on global warming, and whether Greenpeace's ideals are being compromised by 'greenwash'.

Genres: Environment, Nonfiction

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Sharon Beder is an honorary professor in the School of Humanities and Social Inquiry at the University of Wollongong.

Sharon's research has focussed on how power relationships are maintained and challenged, particularly by corporations and professions. She is interested in environmental politics; the rhetoric of sustainable development; the philosophies behind environmental economics; and trends in environmentalism and corporate activism/public relations. Most recently she has broadened her research interests to critique various manifestations of neoliberalism including privatisation and deregulation, market solutions to social problems and the business takeover of school education.

She has written 10 books, around 150 articles, book chapters and conference papers, as well as designing teaching resources and educational websites.

Reviews

[Lesley Arrowsmith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting look at some of the ways corporations manipulate public opinion - by creating think tanks and special interest groups that look as if they have grassroots support, for example, to campaign for outcomes that are beneficial to the corporations, such as less regulation, and muddying the waters between these groups and real grassroots campaigns which have to make their points with far less money behind them.
However, it was written in 1997, so hardly touches on internet activism - maybe an update would be useful.