Understanding social lives (DD102: Introducing the social sciences)

320 Pages·2016·3.23 MB·English

by  John Allen, Georgina Blakeley

Understanding Social Lives
Part 1
DD102 Introducing the social sciences
Understanding Social Lives
Part 1
Edited by John Allen and Georgina Blakeley
This publication forms part of the Open University module DD209 Running the economy. Details of this and other
Open University modules can be obtained from the Student Registration and Enquiry Service, The Open University,
PO Box 197, Milton Keynes MK7 6BJ, United Kingdom (tel. [phone]; email
Contents
Preface vii
The street
Chapter 1 The life and times of the street 1
Georgina Blakeley and Matt Staples
Chapter 2 Making lives 33
Matt Staples
Chapter 3 Connecting lives 55
Catriona Havard
Chapter 4 Ordering lives 81
Georgina Blakeley
Reflections on social science inquiry 103
Georgina Blakeley
Making lives
Chapter 5 Consumer society? Identity and lifestyle 115
Kevin Hetherington and Catriona Havard
Chapter 6 Supermarket power: winners and losers 147
John Allen
Chapter 7 Advertising and consumer choice: the
powers of persuasion 185
Catriona Havard and George Revill
Chapter 8 Throwaway society? Waste and recycling 221
Rajiv Prabhakar
Chapter 9 Reflections on ‘Making lives’ 261
John Allen
Acknowledgements 288
The module team 289
Index 290
Preface
Understanding Social Lives, Part 1 is the first module textbook for Introducing the social
sciences (DD102). As with other Open University materials, Understanding Social Lives,
Part 1 has been produced by a ‘module team’ of academic and production staff
that included the authors and editors named here, but also many others. This wider
module team played a key role in shaping the module, the book and individual
chapters through successive drafts. Professor Dale Southerton, our external assessor,
was a valued source of critical and supporting advice, and we very much appreciate all
his careful work on our behalf.
The academic staff at The Open University are unusually lucky in being able
to benefit from the expertise and professionalism of the best production and
administrative colleagues. Lesley Moore, our Module Coordinator, was a model of
efficiency, ‘unflappability’ and good humour, and provided strong support to the
module team. Production colleagues and editors – Melanie Bayley, John O’Dwyer,
Katie Belcher and Salia Nessa – did far more than edit and compose this book and
the range of online study materials with care, attention to detail and goodwill: they
must take a large share of credit for the clarity, coherence and accessibility of this
book and all of the other study materials. Thanks are also due to Jo Mack and Roshni
Amin, both consummate professionals, whose years of experience ensured the quality
of the films and audio materials. Paul Hillery and Howie Twiner, Graphics Media
Developers, are due our collective thanks for their creative work on the design and
artwork of the book. And last, but certainly not least, thanks must go to Ann Tolley
and Eileen Potterton, who worked as Curriculum Managers on Introducing the social
sciences. They are the best in the business and oversaw the production of this book
and the rest of the module with such enthusiasm, efficiency, goodwill and patience
that our lives were made much easier than we had any right to expect.
Unusually, perhaps, DD102 builds on its predecessor module – DD101 – through
trying to both incorporate what worked on this previous module and improving what
worked less well. In this regard, the DD102 module team also owe their thanks to the
DD101 module team and particularly to its chair, Dr Simon Bromley, who laid such
excellent foundations for our work here.
Understanding Social Lives, Part 1 is divided into two sections: the introductory chapters;
and ‘Making lives’. These were edited respectively by Georgina Blakeley and John
Allen. With years of experience at his fingertips, John Allen, the strand editor for
‘Making lives’, worked to shape and refine this text and much of the module besides.
We are truly grateful for all his creative efforts, which have made the module far
better than it would have been without his invaluable participation.
Georgina Blakeley and Matt Staples
Chair and Deputy Chair of the Introducing the social sciences module team
vii
The street