Written especially for the undergraduate student, this lucid and comprehensive introduction to the sociology of consumerism examines critically the relation between production and consumption in late capitalist societies.

The Sociology of Consumption begins with a detailed historical overview of the advent of consumer society, examining the diverse literature from McCraken to Campbell - that relates patterns of consumption to politics, economics and the culture of `self-satisfaction'. Peter Corrigan examines theoretical accounts of consumption and consumer practice; beginning with Veblen and conspicuous consumption, he provides a detailed explanation of the often baffling work of Mary Douglas on the world of goods; Jean Baudrillard on the system of objects; and Pierre Bourdieu on cultural capital.

This historical and theoretical discussion provides the student with the tools to examine key themes in the sociology of consumption. These themes include: the `shopping experience' from the department store to the shopping mall, the modern to the postmodern; advertising and print media and their relation to gender and identity; food and the `civilizing process'; the tourist gaze and the heritage industry; and the grammar of fashion.

Illustrated throughout with examples and figures, The Sociology of Consumption

will be essential reading for students of sociology and cultural studies.