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Introduction to Consumer Culture

Introduction to Consumer Culture

SOCY 306
300-Level Courses
Fall 2026
3 Units
In-person
3

Please note that course information listed in the Arts and Science Course Calendar supersedes any information listed on the Sociology website.

For the most current course offerings, registered Queen’s students should consult SOLUS.

Course Description

A comprehensive introduction to the major theories and empirical studies of consumer culture with emphasis upon the historical, socioeconomic, and cultural aspects of consumption in sociological context; substantive focus upon diverse topics such as food, tourism, the home, children, and marketing.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Draw upon sociological literature to identify and explain the distinctions and differences between concepts of ‘consumerism’, ‘consumption’, ‘commodities’, ‘exchange’, and ‘markets’, articulate these accurately in written argument, and critically assess their explanatory power in relation to a range of contemporary issues.
  2. Identify and articulate at least three explanations for the historical emergence of contemporary consumer culture in relation to modernity.
  3. Identify and explain the similarities and differences between at least three sociological theories of choice in consumer culture and identify the broader perspectives to which those theories belong.
  4. Identify and explain the key features of sociological debates about advertising and branding in contemporary society, identify the issues of ‘structure’ and ‘agency’ involved in these.
  5. Identify, explain, and critically assess the similarities and differences among a plurality of theories and concepts in the sociology of consumer culture, and draw upon these to critically evaluate at least one substantive topic in written form.
  6. Use abstract sociological concepts with confidence in a variety of written forms to explain contemporary sociological theories of consumption.
  7. Demonstrate the ability to evaluate and synthesize information obtained from a variety of written sources and communicate relevant information in different ways.