Collecting in a Consumer Culture

In contemporary America, collecting has become a pervasive phenomenon that reflects many aspects of the modem consumer culture. In this-chapter, we define collecting, review its history, and present a grounded theory of its meanings, motivations, moments, and before concluding with an assessment of its social desirability. Throughout, we draw on the relevant literature and on data supplied by informants both during and after the Consumer Behavior Odyssey. Thus, we move between empirical and conceptual approaches to topic, as was true in the development of this research project over its five year history to date.

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