Consumer Culture
- the consumption of food,
- the consumption of fashion,
- the consumption of leisure,
- the consumption of finance, and
- the consumption of housing.
MODULE AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES (continued)
At the end of this module, students should be able to:
- Delineate consumption, consumerism and consumer culture from one another, both analytically and empirically
- Describe, compare and contrast different frameworks for studying each of the above phenomena in terms of the insights unique to them
- Outline and discuss competing definitions of the concept of culture, with empirical examples
- Distinguish frameworks for analysing social class from one another with respect to how they each effect the study of consumption in different ways
- Demonstrate how identity is mediated through a variety of consumption practices
- Assess the difference between a substantive approach to consumer culture from a performative one insofar as this relates to marketing strategy
TEACHING METHODS
Lectures, Directed Reading, Interactive Seminars, Student Presentations.
LECTURES & READINGS
The course consists of 10 x 1 lectures. Indicative content is provided below. Detailed information will be posted on Blackboard. Core readings will be disseminated on a weekly basis.
The sub-heading of ‘globalisation’ coordinates matters arising from the distinction between consumer culture, on the one hand, and consumer culture(s), on the other. The sub-heading of ‘materialism’ facilitates an instrumental delineation of the disciplines to which consumer culture matters.
‘Resistance’, will concern us throughout since consumer culture is the outcome of interactions between strategic intentions and political matters of concern. Students will come to appreciate the importance of these distinctions as they progress through the course, as follows:
| Week 27 | Introduction: How we Consume |
| Globalization & Resistance | |
| Week 28 | How we Consume the Basics |
| Week 29 | How we Consume Art |
| Week 30 | How we Consume Fancy Art |
| Week 31 | How we Consume Other People |
| Materialism & Resistance | |
| Week 32 | How we Consume Money |
| Week 33 | How we Consume Information |
| Week 34 | How we Consume Emotions |
| Week 35 | How we Consume Ourselves
|
| Week 41 | Summary: How we Consumed Consumer Culture |
READING LIST
Core and supplementary readings will be assigned on a weekly basis, in class, and then later posted on blackboard. You will not be assigned reading which is not available to you via the University’s Library facility. On average, students are expected to read in the region of 50 pages of text per week. These readings will feed directly into the assignment. While there is no textbook for this course, rather, students are strongly advised to peruse:
Lee, M. J. (ed.) The Consumer Society Reader (2000). Blackwell: Oxford (Physical copies of this book are available in library)
AND
Schor, J. B. and Holt, D. (eds.) The Consumer Society Reader (2000). WW Norton: New York (This book is available through the library, via My Library)
ASSESSMENT
The module is assessed on the basis of a 100% written assignment on the basis of one 2500 words essay. Details will be communicated in class and through Blackboard. The submission deadline will be the 9th of May 2017.
