This book argues that the coming of the 'a new consumerism' in the affluent societies marks a distinct phase of modernity. Limits of production no longer confine consumption to what is necessary or instrumental. Demands for increasing production no longer shape ideology and culture as they did previously. Important contemporary themes of morality, the body, citizenship and inequality are here placed in a new theoretical light. The book provides examples of new codes of happiness in consuming products, culture and entertainment. Issues of nutrition, consumer policy, environmental risk and health are discussed in the light of these new codes.

Notes on the Contributors - Introduction: Towards a Theory of the New Consumer Society; P.Sulkunen - PART 1: THE NEW CONSUMER SOCIETY - The Return of Dionysus; M.Maffesoli -Moral Discourse in a Changing Culture of Consumption; G.Schulze - Postmodernity, Citizenship and Inequality: Social Theory in 'the New Consumer Society'; J.Holmwood - PART 2: PATTERNING NEW CODES OF HAPPINESS - On the Genealogy of Modern Advertising; P.Falk -Producing the Body: Jane Fonda and the New Public Feminine; H.Radner - Commodifying Culture and the Politics of Representation: Marketing Alcohol through Rap Music; D.A.Herd - From the Margins to the Centre: Cultural Production and Consumption in the Post-Industrial City; J.O'Connor & D.Wynne - 'Gaming is Play, it Should Remain Fun!': The Gaming Complex, Pleasure and Addiction; S.Kingma - PART 3: THE GOVERNANCE OF NEED AND PLEASURE - The Production of the 'Consumer' in Nordic Consumer Political Discourse; K.Ilmonen & E.Sto - Political Dilemmas of Designing the Good Life: the Case of Nutrition and Social Democracy; T.O.Jensen & U.Kjaernes - Eco-labelling and the Construction of Environmental Risks; P.Simmons - Logics of Prevention in Consumer Society: Mundane Speech and Expert Discourse on Alcohol Policy, The Public Health Predicament; P.Sulkunen - Governance and Consumption; G.Wickham -Index