Green Greed A Poststructural Policy Analysis of “H&M Group Sustainability Performance Report 2020”

Sammanfattning: This thesis examines how discursive formations of problem representations presented in the “H&M Group Sustainability Performance Report 2020” institutionalize and shape knowledge regarding strategies on combating climate change. The politics behind these formations are made visible by using Carol Bacchi’s Poststructural Policy Analysis What’s the problem represented to be?(WPR) as a methodological framework. The sustainability report is viewed as a practical text and a base of knowledge production regarding strategies on sustainability. When analyzing statements of problem representation in the report Circular growth, Transparency and Discourse on Democratized fashion was identified as mechanisms, aligning with the singular and widely adapted strategy of green growth and decoupling. This represents a hegemonic ideology falsely suggesting that the pursuit of ever-expanding growth and a thriving nature can co-exist within frames of capitalism. As hegemonic discourse excludes solutions beyond their own functions. As such, degrowth theory and philosophy is used as a contrast to criticizes and question green growth. Findings in this thesis argue that green growth as a single strategy to a sustainable future is not sufficient as it is based on growth and thus represents capitalism by other means (Groz, 1980). The mechanisms of Circular growth, Democratized fashion and Transparency presented in the report makes visible how policy based knowledge function as a medium, institutionalizing knowledge in line with current political ideologies, excluding knowledges outside of the hegemonic discourse of capitalism.