Consumer Society and Culture

4 credits · Undergraduate

In many ways, consumption defines our lives - our identities as consumers are even more important, some would argue, our identities as workers or producers. But what are the implications of a society in which "you are what you consume?" In this class, we will address questions such as: Under what conditions does a "consumer society" develop? What does global commodity chain tell us about colonialization, global inequality, and environmental injustice? How can we shape the life cycle of basic commodities from raw materials to iPhones--in a socially sustainable way? This course will be interdisciplinary in its attempt to understand consumer society and culture in terms of political economy, geography, history, anthropology and sociology.