Call for Papers and Reviewers

SPECIAL ISSUE ON CHILD AND TEEN CONSUMPTION
2006
“The Consequences and Contradictions of Child and Teen Consumption
in Contemporary Practice”

Society and Business Review
Inés de la Ville, University of Poitiers, France
Guest Editor

In contemporary public culture, child and teen consumption appears as a complex open
system of competing moral and ideological perspectives. Children’s and teens’ consumption
is shaped and transformed by a mix of managerial action, public policy, cycles of
technological change, the evolution of related institutions like parenthood, changing cultural
references, values, modes of socialization as well as by the actions children and teens.
Children-oriented commercial activities constitute a highly ambiguous and contested cultural
terrain upon which many institutions and interests vie for ideological as well as economic
dominance. In such a volatile context, forms of resistance to ideologies of unending
consumption arise with intensity particularly when youth are at issue, thereby calling into
question the locus of responsibility for unwanted “effects” and the long term contribution of
business itself as a social institution.

Submissions are now being sought for a special issue of Society and Business Review, an
international, peer-reviewed journal, which address the ethical contexts, problems and
contradictions involved with promoting child and teen consumption. The thrust of the Special
Issue and overall editorial objectives of the Journal seek to highlight how academic research
can shed light on business practice and beliefs. Empirical papers, particularly those with
theoretical implications, thus are highly desirable.

Included among the possible topics:
• ethical considerations and barriers to long-term, socially responsible marketing practices;
• analyses of the rhetoric of interests, dignity, well being of children and teens as enacted by
marketing and managerial discourses and practices;
• research which challenges fundamental concepts and assumptions widely used in
economics, management and consumer studies about the “nature” of the child/teen
consumer;
• research that discusses the opportunity, preconditions, effectiveness and/or the ideology of
consumer literacy programs;
• assessments of the impact of local and international regulatory agencies, governmental
laws on corporate behaviour aimed at children and teens;
• assessments the emerging conflicts and the incentives required to establish a more socially
responsible commercial actions towards this specific target;

As well, papers on children’s consumer practices and cultures, globalization, media, the
implications and consequences of protectionist discourses and on methodological issues are
also welcome.

Deadline: A 500-word abstract with contact information is due by November 1st, 2005. First
draft of accepted papers will be due December 31st, 2005 and will undergo a double-blind
review process. The Special Issue is expected to be published in late 2006. Email abstracts in
MS Word to Inés de la Ville [log in to unmask]

About the Editor: Inés de la Ville, is Professor and Director of the European Centre for
Children’s Products at the University of Poitiers in Angoulême, France. Author of numerous
articles and chapters on children’s consumption, Prof. de la Ville organized the first
international conference on child and teen consumption in 2004.
http://www.iae.univ-poitiers.fr/Colloques/Angouleme/Accueil-Ang.htm.
http://cepe.univ-poitiers.fr/copenhagen/index.htm

About the Journal: Society and Business Review (Yvon Pesqueux, general Editor,
[log in to unmask]) seeks to promote an ethos of meaningful reflection, critical review and
discussion informed by the results of relevant research. The journal particularly encourages
readers to engage with and build upon research that highlight models and structures that
advance the interests, dignity, well being of all people and communities in societies, in a
sustainable manner. http://apps.aomonline.org/Calls/cfp/
paper_info.asp?user_lname=&user_id=&cfp_id=163

Call for Reviewers
Reviewers are sought for this Special Issue. Send contact information and an brief (1-page)
CV or statement of areas of expertise to Inés de la Ville [log in to unmask] by
December 1st, 2005 as Word attachment.