Theoretical

The main contribution of this thesis is the conceptualization and empirical exploration of a new perspective for studying transnational marketplace cultures which gives rise to a cultural logic of translocality. Based on the findings of my research, I argue that cultural consumer research, and more specifically consumer culture theory (CCT), would benefit from transnational investigations which take into consideration the logic of translocal cultural production of contemporary marketplace cultures. This thesis argues that diverse transnational cultural flows produced by the increasing mobility and connectivity of our lives has a growing tendency to create and reproduce translocal marketplace cultures, which is so far a fairly under-researched phenomena.

The thesis suggests a new conceptual perspective emphasizing that culture is inherently translocal, i.e. transnational and local at the same time, and is continuously being negotiated, shaped and produced by “translocal communities”. Drawing on insights gained from two empirical investigations of contemporary and neo-tribal forms of cultural production, the thesis proposes that transnational consumer culture and markets can no longer be conceived or studied only in terms of national, territorial, geographical or locally bound identity or community. Instead they need to be understood increasingly as gradually disintegrated, rootless and de-territorialized entities that are connected primarily through sociability established via translocal practices.

Translocalization of marketplace cultures in this view refers to the fact that new forms of translocal sites, practices and communities are currently emerging that are not delimited to the nation-state, geographical or territorial location, but are regarded both smaller and larger than them. As particular

8 Video format article received an international award, “the Jurors’ Prize” at the North American Association of Consumer Research Conference in 2009.

sites of cultural production, translocal spaces, practices and communities arise from various transnational cultural flows of analogue and digital communication as well as movement of people, things and ideas across space. What they have in common is that they create new forms of agency for translocal actors who operate in a network of various localities (both physical and virtual).

Prior research on transnational marketplace cultures has given rise to a number of viewpoints stressing the logics of cultural assimilation or adaptation, models of market-mediated cultural globalization and glocalization as well as the postmodern fragmentation of markets. I argue that new research possibilities can be discovered by directing attention also to the logics of translocal cultural production, emphasizing the role of translocal practices and communities as central constituents of transnational marketplace cultures. Therefore it is argued that rather than viewing transnational marketplace cultures as global, local or glocal, it is suggested that the emphasis on translocalities (and connections between and within various locales and sites) allows us to conceptualize new forms of transnational cultural production that are currently emerging.

Several findings were brought up by the empirical studies conducted in this research. The study investigating an online community of global travelers illustrates how the new mediascape plays an important role in setting the stage for new forms of translocal cultural production such as the dissemination of environmental knowledge and environmental dialogue through which particular forms of ecological citizenship is being created and sustained. It was also shown how the online communities may work out an agenda for sustainable consumption practices and lifestyles and create new forms of consumer citizenship. In particular, the study illustrates and elaborates on the ways in which the various roles, responsibilities and duties of ecological citizenship are actively negotiated in the online environment. As a form of translocal cultural practice, this consumer citizenship is understood primarily as a de-territorialized and political citizenship – a kind of cosmopolitan version – indicating that the social web may empower consumers to construct new sustainable ways of lives.

In different empirical context, the neo-tribal marketplace culture of paintball was studied by analyzing and elaborating on how it is organized and constituted as translocal practice. The study illustrates the cultural dynamics at play in the production of translocal marketplace cultures by pointing out interconnected practice elements that are not bound to a location but are organized translocally from various localities, including international tournaments and events. Furthermore, the empirical study served to demonstrate a number of evolutionary aspects that practice-oriented approach may open up. Therefore, translocal marketplace cultures should not be considered static

but subject to constant re-organization and re-arrangement. Prior accounts on marketplace dynamics have also shown this but they have relied heavily on discursive, dialectical and narrative based approaches. Practice-approach would seem to suggest a distinctive evolutionary logic in this respect.

By building on a practice-based perspective, the thesis contributes to the literature of marketplace cultures by conceptualizing the ultimate site of the marketplace as a continuously evolving and translocal social site in which participants engage in. This site consists of both mental and bodily practice elements (such as doings and sayings) as well as material arrangements (setups of material objects which compose the entities where practices are carried out). From this perspective, the marketplace is to be analyzed as a dynamically evolving social site in which marketplace activities and performances take place and which determines them intelligible, desirable or accepted. This site is not bound to a location and therefore, this thesis argues, interesting research possibilities will emerge into globalizing marketplace cultures.

Furthermore, this thesis argues that the emerging neo-tribal consumer collectives may require further theoretical and empirical attention. Existing literature on consumer neo-tribes has not considered transnational cultural dynamics in any systematic manner or by means of rigorous empirical investigations. It is proposed that this may be due to the fact that we lack conceptual tools and methods in their analysis. New insights are given in this regard in that the neo-tribal cultures have been the focus of the present thesis. Thus by investigating the site of the tribal marketplace culture this thesis contributes to the marketplace culture literature by illuminating the elements that inherently shape and transform neo-tribal practices. In addition, similar observation can be made regarding the study of neo-tribal online collectives. The present thesis elaborated on the changing mediascape and brought about critique of prior transnational studies in their neglect of the new forms of cultural production particular to the social web. In this connection, it is argued that the new forms of online production may eventually empower and enable consumers in resisting dominant and unidirectional cultural flows.

The prior discussion on neo-tribal collectives, as described in particular by Maffesoli (1996), has depicted them in principle as small-scale, unstable, ephemeral and temporal entities, where there is only relatively little commitment to the community by its members. My research shows in two empirical settings that neo-tribal marketplace cultures may also take other, more profound shapes:

The online community of travelers I studied included nearly 140.000 members from over two hundred countries and the extreme sport community of paintballers expanded to over 110 countries

with thousands of players and teams. Both of these examples set the discourse on neo-tribes on a new ground, which requires further investigation. Neo-tribes cannot be understood anymore as

“little-masses” or obscure groups of enthusiasts but rather as relatively stable, empowered and organized marketplace constellations that can grow up into multi-million euro industries.

Based on the literature review, in which the philosophical roots of distinctive traditions of transnational consumer culture research were analyzed, compared and contrasted, the thesis brings forward findings that may help future researchers, for instance, to recognize and draw connections between them. In addition, new directions were pointed out by identifying potential weaknesses or strengths in the existing approaches that have been utilized in the otherwise fragmented field of transnational research. Most importantly, the thesis suggests that practice-theoretical approaches offer a promising ground for transnational cultural investigations. However, it is also pointed out that practice approaches still suffer from problems related to their empirical application due to disagreement and confusion regarding their scope and analysis. In this respect the thesis provides one feasible perspective which is developed and applied in two empirical settings. This tentative framework would naturally benefit from further investigations and developments.

Finally, I wish to consider justification issues considering the arguments made in this thesis. All social and cultural theories face the question: how can a particular perspective or ontology be justified as superior, better or more preferable than others? Schatzki (2002, xvi), for instance, outlines three main ways of such justification: through arguments against its rivals; through demonstrations of its compatibility with the social world; and through its ability to underwrite first-rate social investigation. The first stfirst-rategy articulates theoretical arguments. The second presents plausible descriptions of empirical phenomena in the terms of the ontology, thereby using these phenomena as examples to illustrate the latter. The third strategy provides useful descriptions, explanations and interpretations of social affairs on the basis of the ontology. In this sense, the first is only occupied with pointing out deficiencies of alternatives while the second and third exhibit the plausibility of one’s own account and the advantages of approaching social life trough it. The current thesis basically wishes to implement all of these strategies in its positioning: by comparing the existing approaches (Chapter 2 and Essay 1 “Netnographic Inquiry and New Translocal Sites” and Essay 3

“Videography in Consumer Research” ), by employing empirical demonstrations and useful descriptions and interpretations of the social world (Essay 2 “Environmental Dialogue in Online Communities” and Essay 4 “Brothers in Paint” ).