12:45 P.M. - 02:00 P.M. , Tu,Th, BlegH 425

Instructor: Gowan,Teresa

Grading basis/credits: A-F only, 3 credit(s)

Prereq: 1001 or instr consent ; soc majors/minors must register A-F

Description: The materials in this class will give students a multifaceted picture of contemporary consumer society. Topics may include the following: the historical roots of mass consumption, the causes and consequences of automobile-based transport, the commercialization of childhood, lifestyle marketing and branding, the industrialization of food production and the organic food movement, consumer politics and anti-consumption activism, the rise of consumer credit, and the commodification of deviance and dissent.

Class Time: 30% Lecture, 10% Film/Video, 20% Discussion, 40% Small Group Activities. My teaching style emphasizes active learning - I aim for high student participation, with lots of wide-ranging (and inter-disciplinary) discussion and energetic group work. The class may not suit those who prefer highly structured classes.