Sociology Major (Level 2)
Sociology Minor (Level 2)
Sociology Single Honours (Level 2)
What does it mean to be a 'consumer' in the 21st century? We are used to the notion of shopping to meet our needs but the idea of a 'consumer culture' stretches much wider than this. Are we PRIMARILY consumers in the sense that consumption dominates all or almost all of our cultural, social and civic beliefs and practice? In other words, have we allowed consuming to become the most important social practice and identity? Can we still think of ourselves as 'workers', 'families', 'citizen'
In this module we explore how consumption and consumer culture can be analysed sociologically. We begin to imagine the 'consumer' at the heart of the process, placing this in the context of historical and theoretical shifts in the relevance of consumer society. We will explore some of the connected socio-political and ethical questions that frame our understanding of what people do when they consume, as well as offering up some critique of consumption as an ethical problem.
The kinds of real-world issues we will explore may include:
The consumer: rational chooser, dupe or socially embedded agent?
Revisiting consumer desire: the unconscious and shopping
Consumer citizens 1: is everything shopping?
Consumer citizens 2: anti-consumerism and green ethics
Does class matter anymore? Cultural capital and consumption
Playful identities, or is TOWIE really OK?
Pampers, plumbing and potatoes: what does it mean to be an 'ordinary' consumer?
'Material culture': Social exchange, display and sacrificial shopping
Family and intimacy: how does consumption help us 'do' relationships?
The module will be based on lectures and tutorials; students will be expected to read one or two chapters/articles in preparation for tutorials, plus wider reading in preparation for assessments. Lecture and tutorial activities may include: discussion of key readings, interactive voting, observation activities, DVDs, use of social media strategies such as blogging.
Any reading lists will be provided by the start of the course.
http://lists.lib.keele.ac.uk/modules/soc-20036/lists
- To provide students with a critical overview of major theoretical debates in social and cultural approaches to consumption and consumer culture and to highlight the sociological contribution made to them
- To introduce students to a range of substantive themes in the sociology of consumption and consumer culture that address important historical and contemporary social, cultural, ethical and political issues, and that allow students to appreciate relevant theoretical debates
- To develop students&© understandings of the sociological, social and cultural dimensions of theories of consumer culture in a range of teaching and learning contexts
- To enhance students&© ability to link concepts and evidence in social science within a broadly comparative and historical framework.
- To provide opportunities through seminar discussion and essay preparation in which students may develop their skills of group work, scholarly discussion and exposition of complex ideas
Explain the sociological dimensions of social and cultural theories of consumer culture and social theory more generally will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2 (and formatively in tutorials)
Summarise theoretically informed questions about this facet of the social and cultural world that illustrate their historical and cross-cultural awareness will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2 (and formatively in tutorials)
Utilize effective analytical and expositional skills in the communication of consumption related themes will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2 (and formatively in tutorials)
Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of sociological discourses on consumption and consumer culture will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2 (and formatively in tutorials)
60 hours tutorial preparation
70 hours assessment preparation
Students complete a 2500 word essay
Students complete a 2 hour unseen exam, answering two questions from a list.
This document is the definitive current source of information about this module and supersedes any other information.