Brobeck, long active in the consumer movement, author of previous books on the topic, and since 1980 executive director of the Consumer Federation of America, here presents a world view of the movement in the form of an encyclopedia written by academics and advocates well versed in their specialties. Alphabetically arranged, the 198 entries range in length from about two pages (
Lemon Laws) to 17xba pages (
U.S. Consumer Movement: History and Dynamics), with the majority being three to five pages in length. Although the consumer movement began in the U.S., its influence has spread around the world, and here one finds some 40 entries discussing its current status in such places as Africa, the Baltic Republics, Finland, India, and South Korea, along with an entry on
United Nations Consumer Protections. Other entries are
Airline Deregulation,
Children as a Vulnerable Market,
Ethnic Minorities as Consumers,
Highway Safety, and
Telemarketing Regulation, and also include organizations such as the American Association of Retired Persons and government agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission. Individuals are, for the most part, discussed within entries for the topics with which they are associated, but three pioneers of the consumer movement--Ralph Nader, Esther Peterson, and Colston E. Warne--merit entries of their own.
Entries on consumer organizations are generally written by someone directly involved, but they seem to be objective. All entries are signed and include a suggested reading or two and usually see also references to other entries. There are many see references from terms not used to headings where information will be found. Front matter includes both an alphabetical and a subject list of entries, advisory board members with their affiliations, contributors with their affiliations and titles of the entries they wrote, a preface, and acknowledgments. An extensive index provides access to items within entries.
This encyclopedia brings together a great deal of information never before gathered into one place, and some, particularly on the consumer movement around the world, is not well known. While there have been directories and bibliographies on the consumer movement, this is the only title to bring together encyclopedic descriptive material on its many facets. Academic, public, and business libraries will find this a most useful source to consider.
