Consumerism in World History: The Global Transformation of Desire

This second edition of Consumerism in World History draws on recent research of the consumer experience in the West and Japan, while also examining societies less renowned for consumerism, such as those in Africa.

By relating consumerism to other issues in world history, this book forces reassessment of our understanding of both consumerism and global history. Each chapter has been updated and new features now include:

• a chapter on Latin America
• Russian and Chinese developments since the 1990s
• the changes involved in trying to bolster consumerism as a response to recent international threats
• examples of consumerist syncretism, as in efforts to blend beauty contests with traditional culture in Kerala.

With updated suggested reading, the second edition of Consumerism in World History is essential reading for all students of world history.

Peter N. Stearns is Provost and Professor of History at George Mason University. His books include The Other Side of Western Civilization (5th edition, 1999), Childhood in World History (Routledge, 2005) and Gender in World History (2nd edition, Routledge, 2006).