Consumption: The New Wave of Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences
Author(s)
Campbell, Colin
Abstract
Recent years have seen a marked upsurge of interest in the topic of consumption both in the social sciences and in the humanities. This essay surveys leading contributions to consumption research from a wide range of disciplines. Several factors have contributed to the outburst of recent research on consumption. Historians have recognized that characteristics of a consumer society can be found in pre-industrial societies, giving rise to studies of the role of consumption before and during industrialization. A group of neo-Marxist writers has adapted Marxist ideas, formerly focused on production, to the analysis of modern consumer societies. Trends in cultural analysis have led to a deeper understanding of the nature and meaning of consumer culture. Urban sociology has focused on collective consumption. Feminism and women’s studies have given prominence to such topics as fashion, the body, diet, advertising, shopping, and housework. Effects of these and related changes are seen throughout the social sciences and humanities.
