ABSTRACT
This introduction chapter presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides a series of historical contexts and theoretical approaches to aid people's understanding of consumption in the twenty-first century. It mainly discusses with consumption in current era, what Fredric Jameson calls 'late capitalism', and Zygmunt Bauman has termed 'liquid modernity'. The book discusses in detail about some of the approaches and areas of interest that are developed. They are first, 'Imagining the consumer' then second, in 'Theorizing everyday life' and third, rather than a straightforward walkthrough of each of the chapters, which might offer a map of the territory ahead. The book finally, and very briefly, discussed the last of the paradoxes is brought into renewed focus in terms of recent approaches to consumption and branding in the section 'Beyond reason'.
