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Unmanageable consumer.

LIBRA HC79.C6 G33 2015
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Format:
Book
Author/Creator:
Gabriel, Yiannis, 1952-
Language:
English
Subjects (All):
Consumers.
Consumption (Economics).
Consumer behavior.
Physical Description:
xiii, 265 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm
Edition:
Third edition.
Place of Publication:
Los Angeles : Sage Publications, 2015.
Summary:
The thoroughly updated 20-year anniversary third edition of this classic text now includes coverage of new phenomenon such as social media, emerging markets and a brand new chapter on the consumer as workers. It is essential reading for anyone studying, researching or simply interested in contemporary consumption. Book jacket.
Contents:
1 The Emergence of Contemporary Consumerism 7
The Fordist Deal and the rise of 20th-century consumerism 10
The emergence of contemporary consumerism 11
Consumerism and the mass media 14
Production and consumption 18
Environmental limits to consumerism 20
The elusive pursuit of happiness 23
Looking ahead 24
2 The Consumer as Chooser 25
The allure and power of choice 26
The rise of the menu society 27
Choice in different academic disciplines 30
The psychology of choice 31
The rise and rise of brands 33
Advertising: a systematic creation of false choices? 35
Choice in cultural studies 37
Choice in economic theory 41
Choice, the state and the New Right 43
Which? Or whether? 45
3 The Consumer as Communicator 47
The idea of needs goes out of fashion 49
The meanings of goods 51
Communication and consumption: some early views 52
More recent views 54
The Diderot effect and product constellations 57
Gifts 58
Gifts to oneself? 61
Objects and sign-values 62
Brands, advertising and the destruction of meaning 63
Advertising 65
In conclusion 67
4 The Consumer as Explorer 69
Bargain hunting 71
A duty to explore? 72
The quest for difference 74
Goods and their stories: terrains for exploration 78
The careers of objects 80
Boredom 82
The limits of exploration 83
5 The Consumer as Identity-seeker 86
Fixed identities; from people to goods 87
Identity as a psychological and sociological concept 89
Modernity and identity 91
Consumption, choice and identity 92
Objects and extended selves 94
Postmodern identities, images and self-esteem 97
Identity, the ego-ideal and narcissism 100
Consumerism: addiction or choice? 103
In conclusion 105
6 The Consumer as Hedonist 108
The world of commodities and the pursuit of pleasure 109
Hedonism old and new 111
Consumerism and the new hedonism 114
Modern hedonism and the aesthetics of everyday life 116
Social hedonism 119
Ethical hedonism 122
Hedonism and sadism 124
In conclusion 127
7 The Consumer as Victim 129
The experience of being a victim 132
Why are consumers prone to victimhood? 134
Consumer protection 138
Self help? 141
Can companies protect consumers? 143
From risk to generalized hypochondria? 144
8 The Consumer as Rebel 147
Conscious or unconscious resistance? 150
Symbols of rebellion 151
Torn jeans 154
Tactics of consumer rebellion 156
Rebels with causes: consumer boycotts 159
'Alternative' consumption: pop festivals 160
LETS 162
The ultimate consumer rebel: 'consume less? 164
Beyond rebellion 166
In conclusion 167
9 The Consumer as Activist 170
Active consumers and campaigners 172
First wave: co-operative consumers 174
Second wave: value-for-money consumers 177
Third wave: Naderism 180
The globalization of consumer activism 183
Fourth wave: alternative, ethical and political activists 185
The future: convergence or continued divergence? 189
10 The Consumer as Citizen 193
Citizens and consumers 195
The dilution of the citizen? Or resurrection? 198
The consumer-citizen hybrid 200
Privatization and sub-contracting 202
Consumer advice, information and education 203
Citizens, consumers and the environment 205
Consumerism as democracy 207
11 The Consumer as Worker 209
Work and consumption: two spheres or one? 210
Hard working consumers 210
Consuming work 214
The resurrection of the prosumer 215
New technology 218
Consumption-work 220
Links to other faces of the consumer 223
A concluding question 224
12 The Unmanageable Consumer 226
The demise of the Fordist Deal 229
Un manage ability and the consumer 231
Challenges to consumerism 233.
ISBN:
1446298523
9781446298527
OCLC:
922152452

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