Politics of Consumption

3 credits · Undergraduate

The course examines the political and economic importance of consumption and critical perspectives on the ecological, social, and wellbeing impacts of consumer society. Topics include: the emergence of consumer society, consumption during the Depression and war years, the central role of expanded consumption in the post-war “golden age” of capitalism, the struggles of marginalized groups to participate in consumer society, growing inequalities of consumption in the neoliberal era, consumption in communist and post-communist societies, and political and ethical consumerism. The environmental impacts of consumer society are a prominent theme in the course, along with competing perspectives on how to achieve “sustainable consumption.” PREREQUISITES: 30 credit hours required; previous coursework in Political Science recommended FORMATS: Lecture | Discussion