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Lecturer(s)
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Course content
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The course introduces students to consumer culture, its history, and processes such as commodification and consumption. It also focuses on values, identities, and lifestyles that intersect with consumer practices and current trends. It is therefore concerned with consumption that goes beyond the satisfaction of material needs and relates to the social, economic, political, environmental, and religious aspects of culture. The goal is to gain a deeper understanding of consumer culture and to critically reflect on consumer practices and consumer culture as such. Students will learn to actively use this understanding to interpret social events and everyday experiences. 1. Introduction: consumption and consumer culture 2. Production and consumption in pre-capitalist societies: Kula, gift 3. History of consumer culture 4. Commodification and the sociology of consumption 5. Lifestyles, identities, and distinctions 6. Consumerism and its values 7. Anti-consumerism, DIY, subcultures 8. The social dimension of brands 9. Ethical consumption 10. Globalization and glocalization of consumption 11. Religion in consumer culture: economic models of religion 12. Religion on the market and the lifestylization of religion
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Monologic (reading, lecture, briefing), Dialogic (discussion, interview, brainstorming), Case studies
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Learning outcomes
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The course introduces students to consumer culture, its history, and processes such as commodification and consumption. It also focuses on values, identities, and lifestyles that intersect with consumer practices and current trends. It is therefore concerned with consumption that goes beyond the satisfaction of material needs and relates to the social, economic, political, environmental, and religious aspects of culture. The goal is to gain a deeper understanding of consumer culture and to critically reflect on consumer practices and consumer culture as such. Students will learn to actively use this understanding to interpret social events and everyday experiences.
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Prerequisites
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Knowledge of the historical development of sociology and basic topics of general sociology at university level
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Essay, Colloquium, Seminar work, Interim evaluation
learning journal oral presentation with group activity research project with mini-research on a topic of individual choice and its presentation
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Recommended literature
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Arnould, Erick J. and Thomson, Craig J. Consumer culture theory. Los Angeles: SAGE, 2023.
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Campbell, Collin. The romantic ethic and the spirit of modern consumerism. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1987.
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Gauthier, François. Religion in the Market Era The Rise of Market Islam, the Revenge of Confucius, and Other Stories From a Global Age. London and New York: Routledge, 2025.
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Gauthier, François. Religion, Modernity, Globalisation: Nation-State to Market. Oxon: Routledge, 2020.
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Lury, Célia. Consumer culture. Cambridge: Polity, 2011.
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Sassatelli, Roberta. Consumer Culture: History, Theory, Politics. Los Angeles: Sage Publications, 2007.
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Slater, Don. Consumer Culture and Modernity. Cambridge: Polity, 1997.
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Wiedenhoft Murphy, Wendy. Consumer culture and society. Los Angeles: SAGE, 2017.
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Zahrádka, Pavek (ed.). Spotřební kultura: historie, teorie a výzkum. Praha: Academia, 2014.
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