Boykotter

Boykotter is a term used to describe individuals or groups who participate in or organize boycotts, a protest tactic based on abstaining from purchasing, using, or supporting specific goods, services, or institutions. The word derives from the English “boycott,” which originated in 19th-century Ireland and was named after Captain Charles Boycott, whose name became associated with organized refusal. Today, boykott campaigns may target companies, products, labor practices, political actions, or broader social issues, and can be carried out by consumers, communities, organizations, or governments. A person in such a campaign is commonly called a boykotter, with spelling variations across languages.

Historically, boycotts have played a role in social and political movements, including labor struggles, civil rights campaigns, and anti-apartheid activism, and they continue to be used in ethical consumerism and advocacy. The effectiveness and ethics of boycotts are widely debated: supporters argue they pressure actors to change behavior while opponents caution about unintended harms to workers or bystanders. In public discourse, the term “boykotter” often appears in media, policy debates, and academic analyses as a shorthand for organized refusal as a form of protest.