B_SK Consumer culture

University of Finance and Administration
Winter 2020
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Jitka Cirklová, M.A., Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Michal Tomčík, PhD. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Jitka Cirklová, M.A., Ph.D.
Subdepartment of Management and Marketing – Department of Economics and Management – Departments – University of Finance and Administration
Contact Person: Lenka Pokorná
Timetable of Seminar Groups
B_SK/cMMO: each odd Tuesday 12:15–12:59 M27, each odd Tuesday 13:00–13:45 M27, M. Tomčík
B_SK/cM1PH: each even Wednesday 12:15–12:59 E129, each even Wednesday 13:00–13:45 E129, J. Cirklová
B_SK/cM2PH: each even Wednesday 10:30–11:14 E129, each even Wednesday 11:15–12:00 E129, J. Cirklová
B_SK/pMPH: each odd Wednesday 10:30–11:14 E222, each odd Wednesday 11:15–12:00 E222, J. Cirklová
B_SK/poMMO: each odd Wednesday 10:30–11:14 M15, each odd Wednesday 11:15–12:00 M15, J. Cirklová
B_SK/vMPH: Sat 17. 10. 8:00–9:30 E225, 9:45–11:15 E225, 11:30–13:00 E225, Sat 14. 11. 9:45–11:15 E225, 11:30–13:00 E225, J. Cirklová
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is offered to students of any study field.
Course objectives
In this course we take an interdisciplinary approach to studying consumerism, drawing upon academic research from various theoretical and applied perspectives. We will examine how the presence of cunsumerism influences individual behaviors, social welfare, culture, environmental quality and public policy. We will study both the positive and negative impacts of consumerism on individuals and societies.
Learning outcomes
The course Consumer culture enrich the knowledge of students in the area of Sociology of consumption. Course is planed for one semestr with 24 hours of lectures and 12 hours of seminar (combined form students 10 hours). Students will obtain 6 credits after succesful examination. The course focuses on the desires, values and indentities that intersect consumer practices and trends today and in selected historical periods. We approach this topic from the basic sociological assumption that there is more than just material satisfaciton to the material needs. We can ask how social, economic, politic and environmental aspects are related to the consumption culture? We are going to use sociological theories and methodology in order to understand deeper dynamic of the consumption culture.
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction: What is consumption? What is consumption culture: How do we study it? Production and consumption in pre-capitalist societies. Various approaches to the access to the material resources. Ritual of Potlach in Cananda, Big men of New Guinea, and Kula. 2. The Gift. Three obligations of the gift. The gift as the imprtant topic of the social research. 3. Sugar – sweetness and power. Consumption comodity and its transformation in colonial history and in global context. 4. Mass production and mass consumption. The Fordist model. 5. Cultural Creativism – term, trend and strategy of consumption. 6. What Became Authentic Primitive Art? Contemporary cultural tourism, commodification of local culture. How local craft become a luxury art. 7. Ethical consumption. Ecological luxury. Anticonsumerism. 8. Brands as a refuge. Brands and identity. Social dimension of brands. 9. Cultural variety of consumption. McDonaldization. Comodification of cultural identities. 10. Social problems solved by consumption. Comodification of childhood, sport, music, sacred. Space of consumption in urban settings. 11. World system theory. Immanuel Wallerstein. 12. Globalization and consumption. Global and local level impacts of consumption.
Literature
    required literature
  • PROKOP, Daniel. Slepé skvrny: O chudobě, vzdělávání, populismu a dalších výzvách české společnosti, Nakladatel: Host 2019
  • Kniha Sociologie, Doling Kindrsley. Universum, 2015. ISBN 978-80-242-5395-4
  • FAFEJTA, Martin, ZAHRÁDKA, Pavel, ed. Spotřební kultura: historie, teorie a výzkum. Praha: Academia, 2014. ISBN 978-80-200-2372-8.
  • KOLÁŘOVÁ, Marta. Climate Change and the Transition Movement in Eastern Europe: The Case of Czech Permaculture. Sociologický časopis / Czech Sociological Review 2020, 56(3)
  • KOUDELKA, Jan. Spotřební chování a marketing. Praha: Grada, 1997. ISBN 80-7169-372-3.
  • HOLUBEC, Stanislav. Sociologie světových systémů: hegemonie, centra, periferie. Praha: Sociologické nakladatelství (SLON), 2009. ISBN 978-80-7419-014-8.
  • RITZER, George. Mcdonaldizace společnosti: výzkum měnící se povahy soudobého společenství života. Praha: Academia, 1996. ISBN 80-200-0571-4.
  • BAUMAN, Zygmunt. Globalizace: důsledky pro člověka. Přeložil Jana OGROCKÁ. Praha: Mladá fronta, 2000. ISBN 80-204-0817-7.
  • BÁRTA, Vladimír a Hilda BÁRTOVÁ. Homo spotřebitel. V Praze: Oeconomica, 2012. ISBN 978-80-245-1822-0.
    recommended literature
  • Analýza sociální segregace ČR https://socialnipolitika.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Analyza_segregace_2019.pdf
  • LINDSTROM, Martin. Vyluxované mozky: triky, které používají firmy, aby nás přiměly k nákupu. Praha: Management Press, 2012. ISBN 978-80-7261-191-1.
  • SOUKUP, Václav. Přehled antropologických teorií kultury. ISBN 80-7178-328-5.
  • MURPHY, Robert F. Úvod do kulturní a sociální antropologie. Přeložil Hana ČERVINKOVÁ. Praha: Sociologické nakladatelství (SLON), 2001. ISBN 80-85850-53-2.
  • KALKA, Jochen a Florian ALLGAYER. Marketing podle cílových skupin: [jak žijeme, co kupujeme, čím se řídíme]. Brno: Computer Press, 2007. ISBN 978-80-251-1617-3.
  • LINDSTROM, Martin. Nákup.ologie: pravda a lži o tom, proč nakupujeme. Brno: Computer Press, 2009. ISBN 978-80-251-2396-6.
  • MAUSS, M., 1999: Esej o daru. Praha: SLON. ISBN 80-85850-77-X.
Teaching methods
Interactive lectures. Critical reading of text.
Assessment methods
Planned learning activities and teaching methods Interactive lectures + focused discussions during lectures. Minimal seminar participation - 75%. Tutorials for part-time students. Minimal tutorial participation - 50%. Students may get additional tasks, in order to prove their competencies during specific study period and to close successfully the above mentioned subject. Credits are obtained aginst submitting 1 essay on selected topic (TBA at the start of the semester) and after final exam at the end of the semester. Lectures are going to be published in IS. The areas and the topics of final exam are going to be published at the start of the semester.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 10 hodin KS/semestr.
The course is also listed under the following terms Winter 2017, Winter 2018, Winter 2019, Winter 2021, Winter 2022, Winter 2023, Winter 2024, Summer 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Winter 2020, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.vsfs.cz/course/vsfs/winter2020/B_SK