Towards a sociological imagination of consumption

Jennifer Smith Maguire

Chapter 1 in Research Handbook on the Sociology of Consumption, 2026, pp 1-19 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: The chapter provides the conceptual framing for the Research Handbook on the Sociology of Consumption, introducing key themes, definitions, and contributions. It positions the sociology of consumption as a field that interrogates how engagements with material and symbolic goods shape and are shaped by social structures, cultural values, and everyday practices. Drawing on C. Wright Mills's notion of a sociological imagination, the chapter calls for greater attention to the interrelations between biography and history, individual routines and institutional patterns. It defines consumption as a relational and patterned practice, emphasises the global and historical diversity of consumer societies and consumer cultures, and highlights the importance of pluralist theoretical and methodological approaches, connecting consumption to pressing issues of sustainability and social change. The chapter concludes with an invitation to exercise a sociological imagination through critical and creative engagement with the Handbook's contributions.

Keywords: Sociological Imagination; Consumption; Consumer Society; Consumer Culture; Sustainability; Biography and History (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035310500
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