+1 862 207 3288 Discussion 1: Resisting Neoliberalism
Assignment Question: The dominant neoliberal capitalist ideology that drives contemporary living can sometimes makes life hellish.” Discuss this statement.
Neoliberalism’ refers to the attempt to reorganise society and the state on the basis of an ideal of ‘the market’. Neoliberalism proclaims that the logic of business and money is the best determinant of human happiness. Neoliberalism also says that human beings can’t be trusted, so the market must necessarily dictate what the people want. Every category of human interaction, therefore – from the public sector to the intimate adventures of love and lust – must be made to work more like a market, with in-built competitive mechanisms and cost controls. Every personal choice, including democratic choice, must be subsumed into the logic of the market: flesh itself can be remoulded for profit.
We are told that this is what liberty looks like. Neoliberalism is an attempt to build a ‘Machinery of Freedom’, in the words of David Friedman, in which human beings are economic creatures first and foremost. Everything we do should be about ‘maximising utility’, whether it’s in a relationship, in a job, or in social situations. The self is just an entrepreneurial project. The body is just human capital, a set of resources – whether the brain, the breasts or the biceps – which can be put to work generating an income stream.
Further Insight:
A User’s Guide to Détournement” http://trb.la/zvA2dH
“Détournement as Negation and Prelude” http://tinyurl.com/nnhk2z5
Mark Dery, “Culture Jamming: Hacking, Slashing, and Sniping in the Empire of Signs” http://markdery.com/?page_id=154
Lasn, Kalle. Culture Jam: The Uncooling of America. New York: Eagle Brook, 1999.
Lasn. Kalle. (2000), “Culture Jamming” In Juliet B. Schor and Douglas B. Holt (eds) The Consumer Society Reader,
New York: The New Press. Library Classification HC79.C6.S37, Available in short loan and as a download on VITAL.
Heath, Joseph, and Andrew Potter. The Rebel Sell:
Why the Culture Can’t Be Jammed. New York: Harper, 2005.
Discussion 2: The Selling of Celebrity
Assignment Question: Worshipping celebrity heroes is a worthwhile activity. Discuss this statement.
Why are we so fascinated by people who make no material impact on our lives and are, in many respects, just like ourselves –ordinary?
Why do we care about people who have no conspicuous talent?
Has there ever been a time in history when so much time, energy, and money has been devoted to following the exploits of people we have never met, are never likely to, and who don’t know we exist?
References
Cashmore, Ellis, (2006) Celebrity Culture, London: Routledge.
Ferris, K. (2007) The Sociology of Celebrity, Sociology Compass, 1(1): 371-384
Further Insight
Scott Mills, Anthony Patterson & Lee Quinn (2015) “Fabricating celebrity brands via scandalous narrative: crafting, capering and commodifying the comedian, Russell Brand.” Journal of Marketing Management, Volume 31, Issue 5-6, pages 599-615.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0267257X.2015.1005116
Discussion 3: Marketing to Children
Assignment Question: “Children should not be exposed to advertising and marketing.” Discuss this statement.
In this discussion we will throw desperately needed light onto the practices of a relentless multi-billion dollar marketing machine that now sells kids and their parents everything from junk food and violent video games to bogus educational products and the family car. Drawing on the insights of health care professionals, children’s advocates, and industry insiders, we will focus on the explosive growth of child marketing, showing how youth marketers have used the latest advances in psychology, anthropology, and neuroscience to transform American children into one of the most powerful and profitable consumer demographics in the world. We will ponder whether we should push back against the wholesale commercialization of childhood, raise urgent questions about the ethics of children’s marketing and its impact on the health and well-being of kids.
Key References
Lamb, S. and Brown, L.M.(2006) Packaging Girlhood: Rescuing Our Daughters from Marketers’ Schemes, New York: St. Martin’s Griffin.
Brown, L.M. and Lamb, S., and Tappan, M. (2009) Packaging Boyhood. New York: St. Martin’s Press.
Further Insight
A useful source that covers both sides of the debate can be found in Advertising and Society edited by Carol J. Pardun (2014).
It contains an article in favour of exposing kids to marketing:J. Walker Smith “Children are smarter than we think. Let’s respect them as the consumers they are!”
It also presents a counterargument. See:Dan Panici “Children need more protection from advertising!”
Other Important References:
Gunter, B., Oates, C., and Blades, M. (2005).
Advertising to children on TV: Content, impact and regulation. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Discussion 4: How to be a successful marketer
Assignment Question: When you graduate how can you ensure that you have a successful career in marketing? Discuss.
Getting on and being successful in the marketing career that awaits you upon graduation will not be easy. It is unlikely, for instance, that you will not be promoted simply because you are good at your job. Other factors often come into play. Much of how you are judged will come down to your personal swagger, your brazen self-belief, you willingness to take credit for things you have done, and perhaps things you haven’t. Substance is important, but so is your style of self presentation. In your career you may suffer grave injustices. People much less capable than you may seem to get all the breaks. This lecture considers how you can maximise your chances of being a successful marketer.
Reference: McKevitt, Steve (2006), City Slackers: Workers of the World You are Wasting Your Time!, London, Cyan.
Discussion 5: Self-Help
Assignment Question: “Purveyors of self-help are mostly charlatans selling snake oil.” Discuss this statement.
Many of us are hopelessly hooked on the products of the self help industry. Never have so many consumers spend so much with so little proof of efficacy. In this lecture we will examine whether it actually helps to do anything other than fill the bank accounts of a slickly packaged breed of false prophets such as high-profile authors, motivational speakers and life coaches.
Reference:
Salerno, Steve(2005), SHAM: How the Gurus of the Self-Help Movement Make Us Helpless, London, Nicholas Brealey Publishing Ltd
Discussion 6: Supermarkets
Assignment Question: The denigration of supermarkets is fully justified. Discuss this statement.
Despite all the media chatter in recent months about their decline in 2014 the top four British supermarkets retained almost 75% of the UK grocery market. They are not going anywhere anytime soon. But is there a price to pay for our enduring love affair with the cheapness, choice and convenience they offer? In this discussion we will go behind the scenes of the supermarket world.
Reference
Blythman, Joanna (2008), Shopped: The Shocking Power of the British Supermarkets, London, Harper Perennial.
Available in Library Normal Loan and Short Loan – HD9011.5.B66
Discussion 7: Counterfeit Brands
Assignment Question: Is it acceptable to buy counterfeit brands? Discuss this statement.
This lecture offers an analysis of the highly controversial and taboo area of fake brands and what motivates people to buy them. Everyone has their favourite brands, and everyone has bought fakes of them – this lecture asks why? As consumers, we are literally in love with our favourite brands. In fact, this desire to own brands is so strong now that we will even buy fakes to make it happen. We will explore how the consumer behaves and thinks, and how companies (legal or illegal ones) are responding. The brand has become a symbol for quality. When fakes appear on the scene, the quality of goods is inevitably compromised. As a consumer, we know this. But it doesn’t deter us from buying fakes.
Key Reference
Sarah McCartney, Sarah (2005) The Fake Factor: Why We Love Brands But Buy Fakes, London, Cyan Books.
Discussion 8: Critiquing Fast Fashion
Assignment Question: Students, in general, are enthusiastic consumers of fast fashion. Should they change their shopping behaviour? Explain your answer.
In this discussion we set out to uncover the true nature of the global fashion juggernaut, tracing the rise of fast fashion retailers and discounters, and the roots of our obsession with deals and steals. We will consider how cheap fashion harms the charity thrift shops and textile recyclers where our masses of clothing castoffs end up. All in an attempt to answer: What are we doing with all these clothes we’re buying–68 items a year? And more important, what are they doing to us, our society, our environment, and our economic well-being.
References:
Discussion 9: Counterculture
Assignment Question
“The notion that anti-corporate counterculturism is a thorn in the side of marketers is wrong”. Discuss this statement.
This lecture explores the idea of a counterculture – a world outside of the consumer-dominated world that encompasses us – pervades everything. It also considers the idea that mocking or simply hoping the “system” will collapse, is not only counterproductive but has helped to create the very consumer society radicals oppose.
Key Reference
Heath, J. and Potter, A. (2004) Nation of Rebels: Why Counterculture Became Consumer Culture, London, Harper Business
Available in Library Normal Loan and Short Loan – HF5821.H43
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