Preface 1. Introduction and Overview 2. From Economics Imperialism to Globalization 3. The World of Commodities 4. Use Value and Consumption 5. Consumption through Systems of Provision 6. Systems of Provision and Cultural Systems 7. Economics and Consumption 8. What is Consumer Society? 9. Whatever Happened to Public Consumption? 10 Welfarism in Light of Globalization 11. Whither Consumption Studies?

'The standard work for students and scholars of consumption for years to come' - David F. Ruccio, University of Notre Dame, USA'This remarkable book provides a bridge between materialist and cultural analyses of campitalism. In readily digestible prose, the author synthesizes material on the causes and consequences of consumption from Baudrillard and Marx, on the one hand, to neoclassical economic theory on the other. What results is that rare thing - an essential book for all interested in the social sciences.' - Gary Dimski, Professor of Economics, University of California, Riverside, USA'Here is an essential book which is confidently interdisciplinary, drawing on diverse currents within the social sciences and developing a rich understanding of the subject.' - Frank Sitwell, Professor of Political Economy, University of Sydney, Australia