Chapter 7 - Institutionalising Commercialism? The Case of Social Marketing for Health in the United Kingdom

Summary

Why can't you sell brotherhood and rational thinking like you sell soap?

(Weibe 1952, 679)

Introduction

Throughout this book there is reiteration that neoliberalism has become the dominant mode of social, political and economic organisation over the past three decades in the Western industrialised nations and beyond. As noted in the introduction, the purpose of the book is to substantiate this assertion and to add to the wealth of discussion and analysis which has already been contributed by further illustrating not only how this new doxa has profoundly shaped the macro political and economic organisation of nation states, but, further, to illuminate its operation at the micro level of institutions and organisations. In doing this, it is intended that the chapters presented add weight to Harvey's (2005, 3) assertion that as a mode of governance,

Neoliberalism…has pervasive effects on ways of thought to the point where it has become incorporated into the common sense way many of us interpret, live in, and understand the world.

This is to be achieved through critical analysis of the institutionalisation of neoliberal values and modes of thought in a variety of settings. The empirical focus of this chapter is the growing use of social marketing for health as a new public health methodology in the United Kingdom.

Public health is a complex discipline which draws on a range of cognate subjects and methodologies with the broad aim of protecting and improving the health of populations.