SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF CONSUMPTION

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Abstract
It is argued here that a post-Marxist constructionist sociology of consumption is desirable for three reasons. Firstly, the liberal theory of `economy and society' designates consumption as falling on the `society' side, with material processes belonging to `the economy'. Problematic consequences of this separation are illustrated with reference to difficulties in the social scientific measurement of poverty. Secondly, the Marxist subsumption of consumption under production neglects the independent influence of distribution and circulation. Finally, Baudrillard's claim for a pure sphere of consumption driven by symbolic media overlooks the contribution that human work, such as shopping, makes to consumption. It is claimed that what is needed now is a constructionist sociology of consumption, that can show how the possibility to consume is an outcome of the everyday practices of social life. A model of the social construction of consumption is proposed, and it is described with special reference to issues of gender division.

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