The course "Culture, Leisure and Consumerism" is an optional subject in the module "Structural Processes in Current Societies", which brings students closer to the analysis of current social issues from a sociological perspective.

This subject presents the theoretical frameworks and methodological strategies necessary to analyse these topical issues from a sociological point of view. It also introduces the discipline's main debates and lines of research.

1.Define the objects of study of the sociologies of culture, leisure and consumption, as well as their process of appearance and development as specialized subdisciplines.



2.Specify the theoretical frameworks and methodological strategies of the sociological analysis of these three fields, with particular attention to their interaction, by means of presenting their different perspectives and lines of research.



3.Analyze the social dimensions of cultural, leisure and consumption practices from a sociological perspective. Define the connection of these three variables with relevant social identities.



4.Interpret the process of building our consumer society and mass culture, together with multiculturalism in late postmodern societies.



5.Analyze and understand the diversity of current phenomena, pointing out what the most relevant trends in consumption, cultural and leisure practices are.



6.Comprehend the role of social institutions -as well as other social agents- in the processes of cultural, recreational and consumer production and management. Also, understand how this has become institutionalized through the processes of socialization.



7.Connect the concepts of culture, leisure and consumerism with the globalization process and its aftermath.



8.Relate the sociological perspective on these issues with those of other disciplines such as anthropology, history, psychology and cultural studies.



Learning Outcomes:

1.Introduce the various theoretical frameworks and methodologies.

2.Understand current trends taking place in societies.

3.Systematically compare the relationships between culture, leisure and consumerism.

TOPICAL ISSUES /THEORETICAL-PRACTICAL CONTENTS



1. Introduction: General framework. Culture and Society. Preceding, structural backgrounds: mass capitalism. Weber, bureaucratization and the development of the rationalization process.

Rationalization as the basis for understanding culture, leisure and consumption in our societies.



2. Towards a sociology of culture, leisure and consumption. Different ways of approaching the sociological analysis of culture. Background and functions of leisure; analysis of its social, cultural and economic effects on advanced societies.The social character of consumption and the society of over-consumption.



3. The process of Taylorization: production, work and leisure. Culture, leisure and consumerism in

mass capitalism. The industry of culture vs. industrial culture.



4. Global capitalism and the precariousness of life. Culture, leisure and consumerism in globalized capitalism. Turbo-capitalism. The precariat, a new social class. The McDonaldization of Society. The structures of consumption. Consumerism as a legitimization of globalization.



5. Towards a more integrated perspective in the analysis of culture, leisure and consumerism. Internet and the mediatization of digitized culture. The impact of digitalization on cultural, leisure and consumer practices.

METHODOLOGY



This course combines a set of methodologies to develop abovementioned theoretical and practical skills, including:



M1: Theoretical presentations of the instructor.

M2: Viewing of selected reports, group analysis, exhibition and discussion.

M3: Practical group work on a given topic of students' choice. Presentation to the class and discussion.

M4: Written test

M5: Tutorial sessions as a key teaching-learning tool

• Continuous Assessment System
• Final Assessment System
• Tools and qualification percentages:
  • Written test to be taken (%): 40
  • Realization of Practical Work (exercises, cases or problems) (%): 30
  • Individual works (%): 20
  • Exhibition of works, readings ... (%): 5
  • PARTICIPACIÓN ACTIVA Y ASISTENCIA (%): 5

Following university policies, a CONTINUOUS EVALUATION system based on a set of tests and evaluation activities will be used preferably to assess the progress of each student throughout the training period. The evaluation system shall include:



1: Carrying out a written test to evaluate the degree of understanding of the basic concepts and the main explanatory paradigms dealt with in the subject (25%).



2. Viewing of reports and graphic documents, reading and commenting on texts, carrying out exercises, analysis, presentation and individual or group discussion on topics of interest related to the subject (35%).



3: Teamwork assignment: students will have to develop a theoretical-practical work of diagnosis or research on a topic of their choice, once this is agreed with the instructor. Submission (35%) and presentation to the class (5%). Different orientation and support sessions will be held for the elaboration of the teamwork throughout the course. Submission of written works will not be accepted if the contents of theses have not been previously discussed and agreed (topic, justification, objectives, hypothesis, methodology and initial bibliography) with the instructor, and presented to the whole class. As a result of the presentation and discussion with the class, students are expected to incorporate the corresponding suggestions for improvement in the final version of the document.





Students under the End-of-course EVALUATION system will have to make a WRITTEN TEST (50%) and an INDIVIDUAL WORK of diagnosis / research. The same specification as those described for the group works will be applied; submission of papers will not be accepted without previous agreement with the lecturer on basic aspects to be covered.



In accordance with art. 8.3 of the Regulatory Regulations for Student Assessment of the UPV-EHU, students who opt out the continuous evaluation system will send a letter to the instructor within 9 weeks after the beginning of the semester. Likewise, they will contact her to discuss the topic and contents of their final research paper.



Also, in accordance with art.12.2 of the same regulations, students may waive the assessment call up to one month before the end date of the teaching period. This shall be communicated to the instructor.

The evaluation of the subject in the extraordinary call will be carried out through the

end-of-course evaluation system. That is to say, a written theoretical test (50%) will be carried out and an individual work/paper will be presented (50%) under the same conditions as in the ordinary call.



Students who have participated in the continuous evaluation will be allowed to keep their marks.

Required materials will be available through the eGela platform.

Basic bibliography

Adorno, T. y M. Horkheimer. 1974. “La industria cultural”, en Industria cultural y sociedad de

masas. Caracas: Monte Avila.

Alonso, L. E. 2005. La era del consumo. Madrid: Siglo XXI de España.

Baudrillard, J. 2007 [1970]. La sociedad de consumo. Sus mitos, sus estructuras. Madrid: Siglo

XXI.

Bauman, Z.2011 [1998]. Trabajo, consumismo y nuevos pobres. Barcelona: Gedisa.

Bocock, R. 1995. El consumo. Madrid: Talasa Ediciones.

Debord, G. 1999. La sociedad del espectáculo. Valencia: Pre-textos.

Illouz, E. 2007. Intimidades congeladas. Las emociones en el capitalismo. Madrid: Katz.

Lipovetsky, G. 2007. La felicidad paradójica. Ensayo sobre la sociedad del hiperconsumo.

Barcelona: Anagrama.

Standing, Guy. 2013. El precariado. Una nueva clase social. Barcelona: Pasado &Presente.

Weber, M. 1988. El político y el científico. Madrid: Alianza.

Ritzer, G. 1996 [1993]. La mcdonalización de la sociedad. Un análisis de la racionalización de la

vida cotidiana. Barcelona: Ariel.

In-depth bibliography

Álvarez Sousa, A. 1994. El ocio turístico en las sociedades industriales avanzadas. Barcelona:
Bosch.
Álvarez Sousa, A. 2011. Teoría sociológica y turismo. A Coruña: Netbiblo.
Ariño, A. 1997. Sociología de la cultura. La constitución simbólica de la sociedad. Barcelona:
Ariel.
Bégout, B. 2007. Zerópolis. Barcelona: Anagrama.
Coriat, B. 1993 [1979]. El taller y el cronómetro. Ensayo sobre el taylorismo, el fordismo y la
producción en masa. Madrid: S. XXI.
Escobar de la Serna, L. 1991. La cultura del ocio. Madrid: Eudema.
Gil Juárez, A. y Feliu, J. (coords.). 2004. Psicología económica y del comportamiento del
consumidor. Barcelona: Editorial UOC.
Gimenos Ullastres, J.A. (coord.). 2000. El consumo en España: un panorama general. Madrid:
Fundación Argentaria.
Lanfant, M-F. 1978). Sociología del ocio. Barcelona: Península.
Latiesa Roríguez, M., García Ferrando, M., y Álvarez Sousa, A. (coords.) 2009.Sociología del Ocio y del Turismo: Tipos, Planificación y Desarrollo, Granada: EUG, Universidad de Granada.
Luttwak, E. 2000 [1998]. Turbocapitalismo. Barcelona: Crítica.
Marcuse, H. 1981. El hombre unidimensional. Barcelona: Ariel.
Martínez Quintana, V. 2019. Perspectiva sociológica turística en las sociedades del ocio. Madrid: Sanz y Torres, UNED.
Tomlinson, J. 2001. Globalización y cultura. México, D. F.: Oxford University Press.
Veblen, T. 1971. Teoría de la clase ociosa. México: Ed. Fondo de Cultura Económica.
Williams, R. 1994. Sociología de la cultura. Barcelona: Paidós.

Journals

Política y Sociedad
Revista Española de Sociología.
Papers. Revista de Sociología.
Revista Internacional de Sociología.
INGURUAK – Revista oficial de la Asociación Vasca de Sociología y Ciencia Política (AVSP)

Web addresses

https://www.euskadi.eus/gobierno-vasco/estudios-sociologicos/
https://consumo.gob.es/
https://www.cis.es/cis/opencms/ES/index.html
http://www.injuve.es/observatorio/ocio-y-tiempo-libre/jovenes-ocio-y-consumo