Discover 'Excess', a provocative exploration of modern over-consumption and its impact on society. This brand-new book, published by John Wiley & Sons in 2009, dives into the cultural implications of consumerism in the Western world. With 224 pages of insightful content, Kim Humphery analyses the rising 'new politics of consumption', shedding light on anti-consumerism movements such as culture jamming, simple living, slow food, and fair trade. In an era marked by economic challenges, the book offers a timely examination of how these ideas are reshaped by the global recession, inviting readers to reconsider their role as conscious consumers. Conducting interviews with activists from three continents, Humphery presents a nuanced view of anti-consumerism, considering it not just as a critique, but as a potential catalyst for lifestyle changes and collective action. By engaging with contemporary theories and addressing the complexities of material acquisition, 'Excess' avoids simplistic narratives of consumer manipulation, portraying individuals as empowered agents capable of driving cultural transformation. This book is essential for anyone interested in the intricate relationship between consumer culture and socio-political movements, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding the ongoing debates surrounding consumption today. Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.

Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.

Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780745645414
Year: 2009
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons (UK)
Pages: 224


Description:
Over-consumption is one of the key issues of our time, especially in the Western world. Over the past decade, in the face of historically unprecedented levels of consumer spending in the West - and the more recent impact of recession - a vigorous politics of anti-consumerism has emerged in a range of wealthy nations.


This timely and original new book provides a comprehensive overview and analysis of what has come to be called the 'new politics of consumption'; a politics embodied in movements such as culture jamming, simple living, slow food and fair trade. The book offers an examination of anti-consumerism at a time when the idea of 'consumer excess' is being re-framed by a global economic downturn, and crucially explores what this means for the future of political debate. Drawing on interviews with activists across three continents, and offering a refreshingly accessible discussion of contemporary commentary and theory, Kim Humphery sympathetically explores anti-consumerism as cultural interpretation, lifestyle change, and collective action.


Whilst analysing the positive advances of the anti-consumerist movement, Excess also challenges contemporary critical thinking on consumption, taking issue with the return to theories of mass culture in contemporary anti-consumerist polemic. Alternatively, Humphery begins to forge a politics of anti-consumerism that addresses the complexity of material acquisition and which avoids treating consumers as mere dupes in the logic of capitalism, viewing them instead as active participants in a culture which is capable of transformation.