12227 - Sociology of Consumption

Learning outcomes

After completing the course the student will know in detail the social aspects of the phenomenon of consumption; he'll own the tools to analyze and understand the practices of consumption in contemporary society, the transformation of the consumption as phenomenon related to the globalization, individualization and empowerment processes. He'll be also able to theoretically and methodologically analyze the phenomenon of prosumerism.

Course contents

The course is divided into two modules:

The course takes place in the FIRST SEMESTER,

Course content

The First Module is concerned with relationship between consumption and globalization and the definition of the current society as a consumer society. In this module will be roughed out the characteristics of global society, with particular attention to the processes of individualization and empowerment. The phenomenon of consumption will therefore be re-read in the light of the synergistic homogenization and heterogeneousness processes, the commodification versus re-signification, the McDonaldiisation versus the indigenization.

The second Module regards "new consumer practices" and the mixing between consumption tactics and power strategies. This module deals with the consumer behavior under a sociological perspective of Agency to recover the category of "creativity". The definition of consumption as production will allow to deepen the knowledge about new consumers: the craft consumer, the responsible consumer, the ascetic.

Readings/Bibliography

Paltrinieri R., Consumi e globalizzazione, Carocci, Roma, 2004

Secondulfo D., Sociologlia dei consumi e della cultura materiale, FrancoAngeli, Milano, 2012.

Teaching methods

In the lessons traditional teaching will be interchanged with confrontation and discussion time with students over textbooks or parts of them time after time proposed by teachers.

Assessment methods

The exam is oral and consists of an interview on the exam textbooks. The interview is aimed to assess the student's level of knowledge on the topics covered during the course and its argumentation skills.

Teaching tools

Photocopies, projector, PC, interactive multimedia board

Office hours

See the website of Roberta Paltrinieri