• Explain and compare the fundamental concepts, theories and frameworks in consumer culture theory
• Explain and analyze how culture affects markets and consumer behavior
• Account critically and reflexively for the implications of the cultural and social embeddedness of markets and consumption
• Compare and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of a range of qualitative methodologies for consumer culture study
• Apply qualitative methodologies to the empirical study of consumer culture phenomena
• Critically evaluate and reflect upon the procedures and outcomes of cultural analysis
• Critically evaluate the leveraging potential of generated cultural insight and foresight

The course introduces the students to fundamental concepts, theories, frameworks and methods in consumer culture theory (CCT). The course is interdisciplinary in nature. Consumer culture theory in itself does not encompass a sole grand theoretical model. Rather it represents an assemblage of diverse and interdependent approaches straddling economic sociology, anthropology and cultural studies so as to explain, understand and analyze the cultural embeddedness of markets. The course equips the students with basic methodological skill-set for conducting inductive and qualitative consumer culture study. During the methods workshops, which are an integral part of the course, students will acquire the knolwedge, acumen and skills to carry out individual and group consumer interviews, ethnographic observations and employ digital and visual methods. Issues related to philosophy of science are also covered.

The course is based on the core assumption that markets are not only economic phenomena but are also embedded in social and cultural contexts. Culture shapes how markets function and influences how consumers think, behave, and act. Over the past few decades, there has been a remarkable growth in sociological, anthropological, and cultural studies that challenge the assumptions and methods of mainstream economics. These approaches offer alternative, socially and culturally grounded understandings of economic phenomena, including consumption. In this light, the course treats consumption not simply as a rational, individual act of purchasing goods or services, but as a complex nexus of cultural elements, social norms, practical skills, forms of distinction, material conditions, ideologies, cultural scripts, and meaning systems. These are expressed through everyday consumer practices such as cleaning, repairing, mending, wearing, displaying, storing, caring, sharing, disposing, recycling, and borrowing.

The course therefore approaches consumption from a particular perspective of the interlocking relationship between social actors and markets, technologies, materialities, popular culture, ideological and moral categories. In this course we will  theoretically and analytically follow the life of objects ('consumer objects') while charting a historical, genealogical, material, cultural and social lineage of how social actors interact with objects (including intangible objects such as sounds, images, ideas, experiences) and their meaning but also material affordances and infrastructures. While following 'the life of objects' we closely follow the distinct epistemological developments within CCT.

Accordingly, we will: 1) focus on the rise of the hyper-consumption society and zoom in on consumer rituals, identity-formation projects and the symbolic aspects of possessions and ‘loved objects’; 2) examine the tribal aspects of consumption and zoom in on marketplace sub-cultures, digital cultures, social movements, consumer communities and socialites; 3) concentrate on consumer practices and zoom in on how objects are implicated in human and non-human agencements underpinning  routine, habituated and repetitive everyday activities; 4) investigate the rise of the platform economy in which the lines between consumers and service providers, on the one hand, and producers and managers on the other are blurred; and finally 5) probe the moral limits of the markets and investigate the commodification of ‘sacred objects’ and the dynamics of ‘taboo markets’.

• Classic and basic theory
• New theory
• Teacher’s own research
• Methodology

• Development of research questions
• Data collection
• Analysis
• Discussion, critical reflection, modelling
• Peer review including Peer-to-peer
• Students conduct independent research-like activities under supervision

(Example of potential literature, subject to change):

Almeling, R. (2007). Selling genes, selling gender: Egg agencies, sperm banks, and the medical market in genetic material. American Sociological Review, 72(3), 319-340.

Belk, R. W. (1988). Possessions and the extended self. Journal of Consumer Research, 15(2), 139-168.

Belk, R. W. (2013). Extended self in a digital world. Journal of Consumer Research, 40(3), 477-500.

Belk, R., Fischer, E., & Kozinets, R. V. (2012). Qualitative consumer and marketing research. Sage.

Miller, D. (2010). Stuff. Polity.

Shove, E., & Pantzar, M. (2005). Consumers, producers and practices: Understanding the invention and reinvention of Nordic walking. Journal of consumer culture, 5(1), 43-64.

Wherry, F. F. (2012). The culture of markets. Polity.