Thematically organized, the book shows how the central aspects of
consumer culture - such as needs, choice, identity, status,
alienation, objects, culture - have been debated within modern
theories, from those of earlier thinkers such as Marx and Simmel to
contemporary forms of post-structuralism and postmodernism. This
approach introduces consumer culture as a subject which - far from
being of narrow or recent interest - is intimately tied to the
central issues of modern times and modern social thought.
With its reviews of major theorists set within a full account of
the development of the subject, this book should be of interest to
undergraduate and postgraduate students in the many disciplines
which now study consumer culture, including communications and
cultural studies, anthropology and history.
* Exam copies only available to lecturers for whom the book may be suitable as a course text.
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"An ambitious and interesting review of consumer studies. Slater
shows a real talent for exposition across a range of disciplines
and approaches. There is much ground to cover and he does it
admirably." Sociology
1. Consumer Culture and Modernity.
2. The Freedoms of the Market.
3. Consumption versus 'Culture'.
4. The Culture of Commodities.
5. The Meanings of Things.
6. The Uses of Things.
7. New Times?.
Afterword.
Bibliography.
Index.
