Consumption, Culture and Commerce

This course aims to introduce students to the intricate ways in which various market actors influence consumers' daily lives around the world. The course thus focuses on the intersection of consumption, culture and commerce.

The overall goal of the course is to provide students with the necessary theoretical tools to be able to decipher global consumer cultures. In this context, consumer culture should be understood as a social arrangement in which the relations between lived culture and social resources, and between meaningful ways of life and the symbolic and material resources on which they depend, are mediated through markets.

The course takes a critical perspective to address the broader role of marketing communication in society. Questions about the responsibility of individuals/companies when using marketing communication knowledge and techniques to influence consumers are brought into focus.

Possible topics may include:

  • Marketing theory and marketing communication practice
  • The paradigms debate
  • Marketing as ideology
  • Consumption as an identity tool
  • Consumer resistance
  • Globalisation

 

The course workload is 200 hours equivalent to 7,5 ECTS.

Please note that all teaching and learning activities - such as lectures, seminars, assignments and assessment tasks – are carried out in English when the language of instruction is English.


The course consists of a combination of lectures, seminars and group work and requires a significant portion of self-study on the part of students. Assessment for the course will be continuous and is carried throughout the different activities of the course.


Assessment for the course will be continuous and is carried throughout the different course activities. Each assessment task is weighted in relation to its importance in the overall assessment of the course. The student’s results from the different assessment tasks are added up to a total course score that will then translate into the final grade for the course.

Assessment tasks

The course contains the following weighted assessment tasks:

1. Individual final examination: assesses intended learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
2. Group project and presentation, assesses intended learning outcomes 1, 2, 3.
3. Attendance and participation: assesses intended learning outcomes 2, 3, 4.

Grading

After completion of the course, students will receive grades on a scale related to the intended learning outcomes of the course. Passing grades are A, B, C, D and E. Failing grades are Fx and F. A grade Fx can be completed for a grade E.


The schedule will be available no later than one month before the start of the course. We do not recommend print-outs as changes can occur. At the start of the course, your department will advise where you can find your schedule during the course.


Note that the course literature can be changed up to two months before the start of the course.

See reading list in the current syllabus.

Course reports are displayed for the three most recent course instances.








Coursecoodrinator: coursecoordinator@sbs.su.se
Head of course: Jacob Östberg

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