Introductory description

This is the core module in the second year of the the BA in Liberal Arts degree.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Term 1

1. Introduction to consumption
2. Commodification and value
3. Conspicuous consumption: status and distinction
4. The C19 consumer society: The House of Mirth
5. Branding and advertising
6. Academic skills for honours-level assessment
7. Global consumer cultures
8. The culture industry (I): Perspectives from the left
9. The good life? Perspectives from the right
10. Consumer culture and the media
    Term 2
11. "I buy, therefore I am"
12. Inconspicuous consumption: Eating, drinking and everyday practices
13. Altered states: Intoxication
14. The C20 consumer society: American Psycho
15. "Eating the Other": Consuming cultures
16. The culture industry (II): Collection and curation
17. Landscapes of consumption
18. The C21 consumer society: UK grime
19. Review: Consumptive futures?
20. Presentations
    Term 3
21. Research project guidance and peer review
22. Research project guidance

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of historical, sociological and cultural theorisations of consumption, and critically assess a range of frameworks and methodologies.
• Analyse the language of consumption, and representations and interventions in literature, visual culture and music.
• Critically consider notions of use, value, waste and decay in relation to consumption.
• Explore problems and generate well-informed responses to a wide range of issues relating to consumption.
• Demonstrate advanced cognitive skills such as critical analysis, source-text analysis, a range of research methods, and oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrate meta-cognitive skills such as: planning how to approach a learning task and identifying the appropriate strategies to solve a problem.
• Demonstrate the ability to use methodologies and perspectives from a range of disciplines, such as sociology, visual cultures, history, English studies, space studies, celebrity studies and cultural studies to analyse a range of sources in cultural and historical perspective.

Research element

Seminar preparation includes guided independent research.
All assessments are research-focused.
The final assessment (research project) asks students to think holistically about the research process and make decisions about content, methodology and output; this acts as "light-touch" preparation for the final-year dissertation.
Support for the final assessment (research project) includes a guided peer review session, in which students present their work-in-progress to the group and offer/receive constructive feedback.

Interdisciplinary

This is a core module on the BA in Liberal Arts degree programmme, which offers a unique trans- and interdisciplinary learning experience for breadth and depth of knowledge.

This module is not subject-specific. Instead, it is issue-focused and draws from a range of disciplinary perspectives, including (but not limited to): space studies, cultural geography, sociology, politics, psychology, marketing, literary studies, cultural studies and history.

International

The module includes one week that focuses specifically on global consumer cultures.
Other weeks include examples and case studies from different global regions.
Assessment 1 (text-response paper) includes source options from different global regions.
As students are co-producers of knowledge (i.e. some seminar preparation time is dedicated to mandatory independent research), they may choose to explore scholarship, ideas and examples from different global regions.

Subject specific skills

Primary source analysis: e.g. through the analysis of literary texts, film, music, statistics, advertisements connected to the theme of consumption
Secondary source analysis: e.g. through criticism, scholarship and theoretical frameworks for consumption studies
Understanding of evolving field of interdisciplinary consumption studies
Range of qualitative research methods, potentially including (but not limited to) archival methodologies, interview methodologies, surveys, and text responses

Transferable skills

Independent research; through seminar preparation and assessments
Communication of knowledge and teaching skills; through weekly problem-based learning group activity
Argument development; through weekly problem-based learning group activity and assessments
Interdisciplinary knowledge-production and synthesis of knowledge; through weekly problem-based learning group activity and assessments
Development of an argument; through weekly problem-based learning group activity and assessments
Presentation skills; through weekly problem-based learning group activity and assessments
Oral and written communication skills; through weekly problem-based learning group activity and assessments
Problem-solving skills; through independent research and weekly problem-based learning group activity
Project management skills; through final assessment (research project)