SC 021: Shop ‘Till You Drop M W 3pm, Spring 2013 Boston College Instructor: Danielle Hedegard Email: hedegard@bc.edu Office: McGuinn 409 Office Hours: *by appointment on, please email Course Website: Blackboard
Course Description: Consumption is central to our society in many ways. This course brings together sociology, anthropology, and consumer studies. We will review the development of consumer society, various theoretical approaches to consumption, and explore the positive and negative consequences of consuming. Throughout the 20th, and now the 21st century, consumerism increasingly came to dominate American society. Required Texts: 1. Juliet Schor. 1999. The Overspent American: Why We Want What We Don’t Need. 2. Halter, M. 2000. Shopping for Identity: The Marketing of Ethnicity, Schocken Books New York, NY. 3. Timmernam, Kelsey. 2012. Where Am I Wearing? A Global Tour of the Countries, Factories, and People Who Make our Clothing. All other readings and videos will be available on Blackboard. Contacting the Instructor: Please communicate with me if you have questions. If you email me with questions about the readings, please be as specific as possible. Please do not email saying “I don’t understand [name of reading] reading.” Instead, reread the article and then email me saying, “I’m not sure what the main argument of this reading is. Is it [insert your thoughts]?” or “I don’t understand how the articles argument that [insert argument] relates to conflict theory?” These are just examples, but be specific. Sociology 021 and the Core Curriculum Sociology 021 is a part of the Core Curriculum in Sociology. As such it is designed to address a range of intellectual issues, using a variety of methodologies, and to engage students in particular ways. These are discussed below. a) The long-­‐standing questions. Sociology, and intellectual inquiry more generally, have long been preoccupied with a set of big questions. These include the debate over biological versus sociological causality, how cultures and societies evolve, the nature of human agency and its relation to social structures, what constitutes progress and what are the contemporary possibilities for realizing it. This course addresses these, and other similar issues. For example, we will explore whether the highly acquisitive and consumerist society which has evolved in the United States is a product of “human nature,” or social design. We look at the extent to which consumer desire is “produced” by advertising and marketing, or whether it is driven by social competition, or whether it is innate. Our readings delve into the origin of consumer society, and how it evolved from an environment of saving and austerity. We investigate the debate about the spread of Western consumer culture to other societies, and debate the pros and cons of that transformation. b) Cultural diversity. This course also considers at consumer society from the point of view of cultural diversity, looking at how class, race, gender, and nation are structured and reproduced by consumer society. These distinctions are absolutely central to the operation of U.S. consumer society. We look at how racial stereotypes and images have become integral to contemporary marketing practices, and how at the same time, the consumer ideology supports a color-­‐blind veneer. We explore the changing relationship between gender and consumer capitalism, and how class has been a persistent feature of this society since the beginning. c) Historical perspective. Throughout the course, a historical perspective is included. The course begins with an exploration of the origins of consumer society in the early 20th century. It goes on to consider the 1950s and 60s, another key period, and ends with discussion of contemporary trends. d) Methodology. Students are exposed to a variety of methodological approaches and tools. Much of the course is organized around debates (structure versus agency in consumer desire, pros and cons of globalization, etc.) By looking at a variety of points of view we are able to assess the relative strengths and weaknesses of various methods of analysis. e) Writing component. The course requires not only reading, but also writing. In addition to a final examination which is essay format, students post to a weekly online discussion which incorporate readings and personal experience. Finally, students produce a written report based on a field assignment in a site of consumption. f) Creating a personal philosophy. Every one of us is a participant our consumer society. Not all of consume consciously, however. A major objective of this course is to get students to think critically and consciously about consumer society and their place in it. Students are forced to reflect on how they consume, how their consumption affects others, the environment, and themselves. Course Requirements: Syllabus Quiz: There will be a quiz over the syllabus on the 6th day of class. The syllabus is a contract between student and teacher and you will be held to all policies and deadlines listed in the syllabus. Pop-­‐quizzes: I expect you to attend class EVERY DAY. There will be 12 random pop quizzes on the assigned readings. You can take pop quizzes only on the day they are given. You cannot make up pop quizzes. If you come into class late, you will not have extra time to finish the quiz. You must come to class having read all assigned material in ADVANCE of the date it is listed and be prepared to discuss it. The instructor reserves the right to call on any student to contribute to discussion of the reading. This class provides an opportunity to develop critical thinking skills. In order to be able to think critically about what we have read, we must understand what we have read and be able to accurately explain the text’s main points and its logic. Some of the material is demanding and requires patience and often repeated readings. Prepare yourself by taking notes as you read (as well as in class). Look up words you don’t know. I expect you to come to class having read and thought about the assigned reading so that you are prepared to participate in discussion-­‐ any lectures in class will not take the place of, nor give a comprehensive summary of, the text assigned. Homework Assignments: There will be 7 homework assignments. Further instructions are provided in the course schedule below. Late homework assignments will not be accepted. Exam: There will be one short answer final exam. It will cover the all material of the course, and will be given at the time assigned by the university for this course, as listed on the course schedule below. This will NOT be rescheduled for anyone without documentation from the dean. Grading: Syllabus Quiz 30pts Pop Quizzes (8 pts each) 96 pts Homework Assignments (12 pts each) 84 pts Final Exam 100 pts -­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐ TOTAL 310pts Course Policies: 1. Late work will not be accepted. Exams will be administered only on the scheduled date. Please do not contact me requesting an extension for any assignment. Exceptions will only be made in the case of a DOCUMENTED illness or family emergency. If you have a legitimate need (a medical emergency or death in the family) for an extension or alternate exam date, you should contact me by email as soon as possible and a scan of you documentation (a dated hospital admittance form) should be attached to the email when you contact me. I cannot grant extensions for students that do not provide documentation within 2 weeks of the emergency. 2. No extra credit will be assigned to make up for missed work. Do not ask me for extra credit. 3. You will be responsible for printing out and bringing to class all readings assigned for the day. You will also be responsible for keeping in your possession any material handed out in class. 4. Because they distract other students and have been found to lower students’ grades, laptop computers are not permitted in class unless you notify me that you have a documented disability requiring their use. 5. I do not negotiate grades. If you feel I have incorrectly graded your work or have not entered your points correctly (it happens), please contact me with your concern as soon as possible. However, if you contact me simply to bargain for a higher grade than you have earned in the class, I WILL DEDUCT POINTS from your overall grade. 6. When calculating the final grade, I round up if to the nearest whole percentage. For example, if you have an 89.5, this will become a 90% final grade. Again, please do not ask me to adjust your grades. 7. Academic Honesty: Students are expected to comply with the standards for academic integrity outlined in the Boston College Student Guide (http://www.bc.edu/schools/cas/polisci/integrity.html). Cheating on tests, quizzes, or exams will result in a grade of “0” for the test in question. Plagiarized assignments will also receive a grade of “0.” In the case of either cheating or plagiarism, I am required to contact your academic dean. 8. If you have a learning disability and need special accommodations, you must contact me BEFORE the assignment or exam in question. Do not wait until an exam has begun to contact me to request extra time. Course Schedule Mon Jan 14 Introduction to Consumer Society Wed Jan 16 What are consumption and materialism? Twitchell, James. “Three Cheers for Materialism,” in Schor and Holt. Patricia Dalton, “We’ve Gotta Have It, But We Don’t Need It, and It’s Consuming Us,” at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-­‐
dyn/articles/A16434-­‐2004Nov27.html Mon Jan 21 History of Production, Commodification, and Consumption Leach, William. 1994. “The Dawn of a Commercial Empire” in Land of Desire. Wed Jan 23 Whiteley, Sheila. 2008. “Invention of the English Christmas,” in Christmas, Ideology, and Popular Culture. Class and Consumption Video: People Like Us Mon Jan 28 The New Consumerism Schor, Juliet B. The Overspent American, CH 1-­‐3 Wed Jan 30 Schor, Juliet B. The Overspent American, CH 4 HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT #1 DUE TODAY: “What we like communicates who we are.” Analyze what your favorite possessions say about you your race, class, and gender. Write up a 1-­‐2 page (at least 400 words) summary to hand in (must be handed in today in printed format for credit). SYLLABUS QUIZ – You cannot receive an A in this class without passing this quiz. No, you cannot reschedule the quiz, don’t ask. Mon Feb 4 Privileges of the Upper Class McClain, Noah and Ashley Mears. 2012. “Free to Those Who Can Afford It: The Everyday Affordance of Privilege” Poetics 40: 133-­‐149. Race and Consumption Halter, Marilyn. Shopping for Identity: The Marketing of Ethnicity, Ch 1 HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT #2 DUE TODAY: Are you a cultural omnivore or a univore? Describe your taste in music, food, and culture and analyze how broad that taste is. How does your taste reflect your class position? Write up a 1-­‐2 page (at least 400 words) summary to hand in (must be handed in today in printed format for credit). Wed Feb 6 Halter, Marilyn. Shopping for Identity: The Marketing of Ethnicity, Ch 2-­‐4 Other Consumer Identities Gendered Consumption, Body Work Kang, Millian. 2010. “Hooked on Nails: Customers” in The Managed Hand: Race, Gender, and the Body in Beauty Service Work Collective Rituals Wallendorf, Melanie and Eric Arnould. 1991. “We Gather Together,” Journal of Consumer Research, 18(1): 13-­‐31. Subcultures of Consumption Video: Barbie Nation HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT #3 DUE TODAY: While yesterday’s reading discussed Thanksgiving, ritual is central to many other holidays and festivals. Use the Wallendorf and Arnould article as a guide to analyze the role of ritual in a holiday other than thanksgiving. Write up a 2 page (at least 600 words) summary to hand in (must be handed in today in printed format for credit). How Industry Shapes Consumption McDonaldization Ritzer, George. “Introduction” in The McDonaldization of Society Video: Food, Inc. Cathedrals of Consumption Ritzer, George. 2009. “A Tour of the New Means of Consumption” in Enchanting a Disenchanted World. Advertising, Branding, and Commercialization Video: Cola Conquest HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT #4 DUE TODAY: Analyze the brand image and story of your favorite brand. What story does it tell? What meanings does it assert? What groups does it try to reach? Write up a 2 page (at least 600 words) summary to hand in (must be handed in today in printed format for credit). Workers with the Right Look Williams, Christine and Catherine Connell. 2010. “Looking Good and Sounding Right”: Aesthetic Labor and Social Inequality in the Retail Industry” Work and Occupations 37(3): 349-­‐377. Mon Feb 11 Wed Feb 13 Mon Feb 18 Wed Feb 20 Mon Feb 25 Wed Feb 27 Mon Mar 11 Wed Mar 13 Selling Sports Cashmore, Ellis. 2010. “A Match Made in Heaven” in Making Sense of Sports. HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT #5 DUE TODAY: Are you a sports fan? Assess how much you spend on sports (games, clothing, equipment, etc.) in a year. If you are not a sports fan, analyze how much you spend on your favorite Mon Mar 18 Wed Mar 20 Mon Mar 25 Wed Mar 27 Mon Apr 1 Wed Apr 3 Mon Apr 8 Wed Apr 10 Mon Apr 15 pastime/hobby. Write up a 1-­‐2 page (at least 400 words) summary to hand in (must be handed in today in printed format for credit). Objectification in Advertising Video: Killing Us Softly 4 Marketing to Children Levin, Diane and Jean Kilbourne. 2008. “From Barbie to Bratz and Beyond: Sexy Sells” in So Sexy so Soon: The New Sexualized Childhood and What Parents can do to Protect their Kids. Video segment: Mickey Mouse Monopoly HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT #6 DUE TODAY: Using Killing Us Softly as your guide, find an interesting advertisement and analyze the gendered representations in the ad. Write up a two-­‐page (at least 600 words) summary of your findings (must be handed in today in printed format for credit). Social Consequences of Low Prices Video: Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price Consumer Resistance Burning Man Kozinets, R.V. 2002. "Can Consumers Escape the Market? Emancipatory Illuminations from Burning Man." Journal of Consumer Research: 20-­‐38. Video segment: No Logo NO CLASS Consumption and the Environment Recycling No reading. Video: An Inconvenient Truth Consumption and Globalization The Global New Consumers Myers, Norman and Jennifer Kent. 2004. “Cars” in The New Consumers: The Influence of Affluence on the Environment. Global Drug Trade and US Demand Gereffi, Gary. 1994. “Cocaine, Commodity Chains, and Drug Politics: A Transnational Approach” in Commodity Chains and Global Capitalism. Where am I Wearing? Ch 5, 7, 8, 9 NO CLASS Wed Apr 17 Mon Apr 22 Wed Apr 24 Mon Wed Apr 29 May 1 Where am I Wearing? Ch 14 -­‐ 16 Video: Mardi Gras: Made in China Where am I Wearing? Ch 17; Pp. 199-­‐214; pp. 237-­‐268 HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT #7 DUE TODAY: What is your favorite brand? Use the internet to discover what company owns that brand and what other brands they own. Next, discover where the product is produced and by whom. Finally, try to find out the production cost of the item and compare this to the final retail price. Write up a 1-­‐2 page (at least 400 words) summary to hand in (must be handed in today in printed format for credit). Review for Final No Class