The Romantic Ethic and the Spirit of Modern Consumerism
New Extended Edition
Authors: Campbell, Colin
Free Preview- 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
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- About this book
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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 aligns with contemporary theory in cultural sociology, while also serving as major influence on consumer studies.
- About the authors
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Colin Campbell is Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the University of York, UK. His previous books include The Easternization of The West (2007), The Shopping Experience (jointly edited with Pasi Falk, 1997), and The Myth of Social Action (1996), among others.
- Reviews
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“This long-awaited and long-overdue new edition of Colin Campbell's The Romantic Ethic and the Spirit of Modern Consumerism reminds us—if anyone had really forgotten—that it is not only a modern classic, but also that it is of continuing importance to, among other areas of study, Weberian theory and the sociology of consumption.” (George Ritzer, Distinguished University Professor of Sociology, University of Maryland, USA)
“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)
- Table of contents (10 chapters)
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Introduction: The Romantic Ethic 30 Years On—Reflections on the Nature and Reception of a Weberian Thesis
Pages 1-48
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Accounting for the Consumer Revolution in Eighteenth-Century England
Pages 51-75
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The Puzzle of Modern Consumerism
Pages 77-105
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Traditional and Modern Hedonism
Pages 107-130
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Modern Autonomous Imaginative Hedonism
Pages 131-155
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Table of contents (10 chapters)
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Bibliographic Information
- Bibliographic Information
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- Book Title
- The Romantic Ethic and the Spirit of Modern Consumerism
- Book Subtitle
- New Extended Edition
- Authors
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- Colin Campbell
- Series Title
- Cultural Sociology
- Copyright
- 2018
- Publisher
- Palgrave Macmillan
- Copyright Holder
- The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s)
- eBook ISBN
- 978-3-319-79066-4
- DOI
- 10.1007/978-3-319-79066-4
- Softcover ISBN
- 978-3-319-79065-7
- Edition Number
- 2
- Number of Pages
- XII, 384
- Topics
