The Authority of the Consumer (Paperback, New)

"The Authority of the Consumer" explores the implications of "consumer society" - charting its meanings in particular contexts and debating the merits or drawbacks of this way of understanding the relationship between "providers" and "recipients". Some have seen this development as involving a radical shift of authority - away from the provider/producer and towards the recipient/consumer. But they have differed in their responses to this shift, either welcoming it in terms of democratization, anti-elitism or empowerment, or decrying it as commercialization, populism or loss of integrity. Others have been more sceptical. These issues are explored in this important and wide-ranging book. The authors have drawn from several disciplines in the social sciences and humanities and include several non-academics. Keat has also published "Enterprise Culture", with Urry (Routledge, 1991); "Politics of Social Theory" (Blackwell, 1981); and "Understanding Phenomenology" (Blackwell, 1991). Abercrombie has published "Contemporary British Society" (Polity, 1988); and "Social Change in Contemporary Britain" (Polity, 1991).