The Social and Material Dimensions of Markets

This book considers together the social and material dimensions of markets and marketing practices, drawing together insights from consumer research, marketing, social theory, and studies of material culture. While the role material objects play in meeting needs, wants, and desires - and their centrality as resources for identity construction - has been discussed by consumer researchers in depth, much less attention has been paid to matter and materiality.

The volume contributes to existing understandings of consumer value and offers a counterpoint to purely symbolic understandings of value. Individual chapters revise, extend, and critique debates surrounding processes of commodification and singularisation, aesthetics, symbolism, and language in the context of value creation. As such this book is of relevance to academics and students interested in consumption and consumer culture, marketing and material culture.