Collecting Cultures – serie

Breaking new ground in its analysis of our relationship to the material world, On Collecting examines the nature of collecting both in Europe and among people living within the European tradition elsewhere.Gathering objects together is a universal human custom, yet every society collects in different ways. Susan Pearce looks at the way we collect and what this tells us about ourselves and our society. She also explores the psychology of collecting: Why do we bestow value on certain objects?How does this add meaning to our lives? Do men and women collect differently? How do we use objects to construct our identity?On Collecting is valuable to museums professionals and students, cultural historians and anyone interested in the widespread social phenomenon of collecting.

On Collecting examines the nature of collecting both in Europe and among people living within the European tradition elsewhere.Susan Pearce looks at the way we collect and what this tells us about ourselves and our society. She also explores the psychology of collecting: why do we bestow value on certain objects and how does this add meaning to our lives? Do men and women collect differently? How do we use objects to construct our identity?This book breaks new ground in its analysis of our relationship to the material world.

This groundbreaking book examines the relationship between the development of the consumer society and the rise of collecting by individuals and institutions. Rusell Belk considers how and why people collect, as individuals, corporations and museums, and the impact this collecting has on us and our culture.Collecting in a Consumer Society outlines the history of museum collecting from ancient civilizations to the present. It also looks at aspects of consumer culture - advertizing, department stores, mass merchandizing, consumer desires, and how this relates to the activity of collecting.Collecting in a Consumer Society is the first book to focus on collecting as material consumption. This is a provocative and engaging book, essential reading for anyone involved with the process of collecting.