Consumption has become one of the leading topics across the social sciences and vocational disciplines such as marketing and business studies. As a result of this, a number of overlapping analytical problems have arisen: how to integrate contributions from the different disciplines; how to address the relationship between society and the individual in a postmodernist world; and how to bring material and cultural factors together. This book provides an answer. In this comprehensively updated and revised new edition, traditional approaches as well as the most recent literature are fully addressed and incorporated, with wide reference to theoretical and empirical work. Fine's refreshing and authoritative text includes a critical examination of such themes as: economics imperialism and globalization the world of commodities systems of provision and culture the consumer society public consumption. The book presents an updated analysis of the cluttered landscape of studies of consumption that will make it required reading for students from a wide range of backgrounds including political economy, history and social science courses generally.