Why consumption, why society, why now? Consumption studies and societal challenges

This article considers what it might mean to think about the concepts of consumption and society in tandem at this point in time. The study of consumption has arguably been reinvigorated and sustained by the many and varied ways in which consumption has been linked to societal challenges. I suggest that some of the tensions that result from this association recall longer-standing problematics within the broader development of consumption studies. These include the relationships between production and consumption, the question of embeddedness, competing disciplinary perspectives, and matters of definition and analytic distinctiveness. These issues are considered through reference to my own experiences of researching and engaging practically with the normative and contested aspects of consumption. To conclude, I suggest that the journal Consumption and Society represents a welcome opportunity to consider some of the ‘big issues’ confronting consumption studies in the context of renewed interest in consumption and the evolving contours of consumer society.