Previous studies of consumer products associated with rural heritage have primarily considered them in one of two ways: either as symbols signalling their owner's class or as yet another example of consumers being "duped" by manufacturers and marketers and engaging in nostalgia-fuelled consumption. Frequently overlooked in such discussions, however, are the routine ways in which such objects are utilised on daily basis. Grounded in debates about the uncertain, risky, and accelerating character of contemporary social life, this thesis utilises radiant cookers and wooden flooring as case studies to investigate how certain goods reminiscent of the past might actively stabilise the lives of owners and their families. Specifically, it compares the physical features and resulting practices of reclaimed timber flooring and radiant cookers with those of their less conspicuous counterparts (laminate flooring and conventional cookers and microwave ovens). Whilst acknowledging that the significance of class can never be fully disentangled from studies of consumer culture, by following the life course of these objects from the demolition site and factory floor into retailer's showrooms and into owners' homes, the thesis reveals the significantly more complex role such objects play in patterns and practices of everyday life.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:651308 |
| Date | January 2010 |
| Creators | Tomasson, James |
| Publisher | Lancaster University |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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