Ethnicity, Gender Consumption Culture Consumption 17.10.07

1. Ethnicity, Gender & ConsumptionCulture & Consumption 17.10.07 Ethnicity & consumption - black consumption studies four approaches social membership & image transformation Gender & consumption gender differences in holiday wants underwear and female identity construction Social vs. inner psychic identity

2. Black consumption studies (Lamont & Moln�r 2001) Three established approaches + one Alienationist: Consumption = repressive, individual identity formation impossible Resistance Consumers can resist dominant consumption narratives Discrimination The negative cultural impact of the marketing industry Social identity (L+M�s contribution) Interaction bxt. individual�s self-understanding & external definition by marketers / society at large

3. Findings Blacks use consumption to gain social membership (equality, respect, status) buy more premium brands / luxury items, go to more speciality shops black women spend more on personal care consumption = means of acquiring status, more than education & church membership Black marketers transform images of blacks black expressive culture as superior to low-key white culture ---- blacks as trend-setters Cultural distintiveness shown through slightly different products & usage of products than whites

4. Questions to consider�. Would a study on blacks� consumption have generated the same results in a European context? Are the findings particular to this ethnic group or would they apply to other ethnic groups (Asian-Americans, Hispanics)?

5. Gender differences in holiday wants �I brought along my running outfit last time we went on holiday, and I never run when I am not on holiday, but I guess I had a feeling that it could become boring at some stage [�] there is a lot of screaming and shouting with a bunch of children like this� (Danish father). �Ich bin halt nun ja ein Typ, der den ganzen Tag am Strand liegt, eigentlich am liebsten ununterbrochen� die [the father and the child] gehen halt immer so auf Tour� weil er ist nicht der Typ, der den ganzen Tag am Strand liegt, dann sitt er mit ihr im Wasser und baut dann irgendwann�Ich guck halt immer zu, pass auf dass alles richtig l�uft� (German mother).

6. Gender differences in holiday wants Women Relaxation Sun-bathing Shopping Wellness Reading Being together with their children Men Relaxation More physical activities (jogging, kite flying, building sand castles) Less sun and less doing nothing Playing with their children

7. Role distribution in families in relation to decision-making

8. Gender specific involvement in products � the case of underwear How consumption of lingerie contributes to affirming feminine identity (Jantzen et al. 2006) social level � following social rules intra-psychological level � private sensation Interesting to do a comparative study of men�s relationship to their underwear � a vehicle for identity formation???

10. The case of underwear�.. Intra-psychological level Using lingerie to feel good Used for exploring & experimenting with one�s identity � pep up ordinary weekdays Produce a sensual experience � feeling feminine Conclusion: Underwear � a tool of identity construction Who one is/wants to be in public (social identity) Generates feelings of pleasure & self-actualisation (inner psychic identity)