Description
Drawing on a wide range of studies, and using contemporary illustrations from the media and popular culture, the author examines the rise of consumer culture and the changing relations between the production and consumption of cultural goods. She argues that consumer culture has become increasingly stylized and now provides an important context for everyday creativity.
The author explores the way an individual's position in social groups structured by class, gender, race and age affects the nature of his or her participation in consumer culture. She also argues that this has contributed to changes in the way in which individuals belong to these social groups. The powerful role consumption plays in our lives is thus revealed as consumer culture is seen to provide new ways of creating social and political identities.
About the Author
Celia Lury is Professor of Sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London.
Reviews
"In a now vast literature Celia Lury's new edition stands out for its clarity and critical intelligence. In addition to offering a a guide through the thicket of new and old approaches, this book provides readers with a map to explore how consumption shapes personal and group identities."
Frank Trentmann, Birkbeck College
"Consumer Culture is a gem of a book. Celia Lury writes with insight, timeliness, and a thorough mastery of the subject. The general reader, the scholar, and the student will read Consumer Culture with the disturbing kind of satisfaction that comes from learning just how deeply consumerism has become a way of life."
Charles Lemert, Wesleyan University
Roberta Sassatelli, University of Milan
Book Information
ISBN 9780745643304
Author Celia Lury
Format Paperback
Page Count 284
Imprint Polity Press
Publisher John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Weight(grams) 397g
Dimensions(mm) 232mm * 168mm * 20mm