Ribbon Culture: Charity, Compassion and Public Awareness

Ribbon Culture explores the history, meaning, and sociological implications of the popular practice of 'showing awareness'. The book suggests that we see the rise of awareness campaigns in terms of a growing interest in personal displays of compassion in a cultural climate where empathy has become a by-word for authenticity. Not only this, but Ribbon Culture highlights charities' use of slick awareness campaigns to 'reach' their target-audience and explores the repercussions of the transformation of charity into a commercial enterprise.