Overview
- Highly interdisciplinary and path-breaking book theorizing modern consumer society, its historical origins, and cultural context
- Grapples with the complex sociological conundrum of the emergence of a consumer-oriented society in a Europe that once valued Weber's Protestant ethic
- Updates one of the most widely cited works in sociology, especially in the sub-fields of sociology of culture, sociology of consumption, and sociological theory
Part of the book series: Cultural Sociology (CULTSOC)
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Table of contents (10 chapters)
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Front Matter
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The Spirit of Modern Consumerism
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Front Matter
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The Romantic Ethic
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Front Matter
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Back Matter
Keywords
- consumerism
- consumption
- capitalism
- materialism
- consumer demand
- industrial revolution
- sentimentalism
- imaginative hedonism
- Max Weber
- Protestant Ethic
- Spirit of Capitalism
- self-consumption
- Calvinism
- Romanticism
- bohemianism
- romantic ethics
- modernism
- social theory
- sociology of consumption
- consumer behavior
About this book
Originally published in 1987, Colin Campbell’s classic treatise on the sociology of consumption has become one of the most widely cited texts in sociology, anthropology, cultural studies, and the history of ideas. In the thirty years since its publication, The Romantic Ethic and the Spirit of Modern Consumerism has lost none of its impact. If anything, the growing commodification of society, the increased attention to consumer studies and marketing, and the ever-proliferating range of purchasable goods and services have made Campbell’s rereading of Weber more urgent still. As Campbell uncovers how and why a consumer-oriented society emerged from a Europe that once embodied Weber’s Protestant ethic, he delivers a rich theorization of the modern logics and values structuring consumer behavior. This new edition, featuring an extended Introduction from the author and an Afterword from researcher Karin M. Ekström, makes clear how this foundational work alignswith contemporary theory in cultural sociology, while also serving as major influence on consumer studies.
Reviews
“One of the essential books on consumption and consumerism. This second edition comes at an opportune time as Campbell’s explanation of modern consumerism is needed now more than ever. Whilst the original text is preserved, this second edition also includes new essays that allow us to appreciate the book’s contribution in the context of contemporary debates in consumption studies as well as sociological theory more generally.” (Ian Woodward, Professor of Sociology, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark)
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: The Romantic Ethic and the Spirit of Modern Consumerism
Book Subtitle: New Extended Edition
Authors: Colin Campbell
Series Title: Cultural Sociology
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-79066-4
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham
eBook Packages: Social Sciences, Social Sciences (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2018
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-319-79065-7Published: 15 June 2018
eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-79066-4Published: 05 June 2018
Series ISSN: 2946-3572
Series E-ISSN: 2946-3580
Edition Number: 2
Number of Pages: XII, 384
Topics: Sociology of Culture, Cultural Studies, Sociological Theory, German Idealism, Consumer Behavior, General Psychology