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    Overview

    Explores the relationships between gender, paid and unpaid work, and cultures of consumption. Topics include labour force change, gendered production of consumer goods, fashion, retailing and the consumption of gender identities.

    This paper will provide an introduction to the relationships between gender, work (both paid and unpaid) and the emerging field of consumer culture studies. We examine why women and men often experience work differently.
    Consumer culture is the other side of the coin: patterns of spending the money we earn. As consumers we often rely on the work of ourselves and others, and we examine how consumer practices are also gendered. Specific topics include assumptions about work, emotional labour, the changing labour force, theories of work and consumption, shopping malls and the ambiguous spaces of suburbia.

    About this paper

    Paper title Gender, Work and Consumer Culture
    Subject Gender Studies
    EFTS 0.15
    Points 18 points
    Teaching period Semester 2 (On campus)
    Domestic Tuition Fees ( NZD ) $981.75
    International Tuition Fees Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website.
    Prerequisite
    GEND 101 or GEND 102 or 54 points
    Restriction
    GEND 306
    Schedule C
    Arts and Music
    Contact

    sgsc@otago.ac.nz

    Teaching staff

    Coordinator: Dr Fairleigh Gilmour

    Lecturers:  Professor Chris Brickell and Dr Rebecca Stringer

    Paper Structure
    Key topics:
    • Theories of work and consumer culture
    • Gender and the labour force
    • Unpaid work
    • Emotional labour
    • Histories of consumer culture
    • Gender and shopping
    • Malls and department stores
    • Suburbia
    Teaching Arrangements
    Two lectures per week and a tutorial for six weeks of the paper.
    Textbooks

    Textbooks are not required for this paper.

    Graduate Attributes Emphasised
    Communication, Critical thinking.
    View more information about Otago's graduate attributes.
    Learning Outcomes

    By the end of the paper, students will:

    • Be able to discuss relationships between gender, work and consumer culture
    • Think critically about the world of work and consumer culture
    • Have had practice in developing written and verbal arguments

    Timetable

    Semester 2

    Location
    Dunedin
    Teaching method
    This paper is taught On Campus
    Learning management system
    Blackboard

    Lecture

    Stream Days Times Weeks
    Attend
    L1 Wednesday 10:00-10:50 29-35, 37-42
    Thursday 10:00-10:50 29-35, 37-42

    Tutorial

    Stream Days Times Weeks
    Attend
    T1 Thursday 13:00-13:50 29, 31, 33, 35, 38, 40
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