عنوان
پدید آورنده
موضوع
رده
کتابخانه
محل استقرار
NATIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHY NUMBER
Number
T636
LANGUAGE OF THE ITEM
.Language of Text, Soundtrack etc
انگلیسی
TITLE AND STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY
Title Proper
Chinese exceptionalism?: Conspicuous consumption versus conspicuous frugality among the Chinese middle class
General Material Designation
[Thesis]
Subsequent Statement of Responsibility
;supervisor: Stone, John
.PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION, ETC
Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.
Boston University: United States -- Massachusetts
Date of Publication, Distribution, etc.
: 2012
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Specific Material Designation and Extent of Item
210 Pages
DISSERTATION (THESIS) NOTE
Dissertation or thesis details and type of degree
Ph.D.
SUMMARY OR ABSTRACT
Text of Note
After the opening-up policy in 1978, China's economy grew rapidly. By 2011, due to its relentless double-digit annual growth, China overtook Japan and became the second largest economy in the world. Meanwhile, China has entered into the consumer era. This dissertation examines to what extent the globalization of consumerism results in a homogenization of spending habits in different locations despite diverse cultural traditions and variable levels of economic development. The research investigates attitudes and behavior concerning consumption among the Chinese new middle class in Beijing, one of the global cities of China, to explore whether Western consumption theories apply to Chinese society and, further, to anticipate the possible trajectories of China's consumption patterns in the future. The dissertation seeks to answer the following questions: 1) Has Confucianism had a significant impact on the consumption patterns of the people in China? 2) Do unique Chinese cultural characteristics, such as face and guanxi , also affect consumption practices? 3) Has the legacy of the Cultural Revolution continued to influence the older middle classes' material consumption? 4) How does the older generation pass on their views about consumption to their offspring and influence their children's consumption patterns? 5) Will China follow the same trajectories as most developed countries and, if not, what mechanisms will drive it along a different historical path? 6) Do Bourdieu's three important concepts--cultural capital, habitus, and field-- apply in the Chinese context? My analysis draws on qualitative interviews with 50 middle class respondents in Beijing, supplemented by ethnographic observations of their purchasing behavior. Further evidence is derived from an analysis of newspaper articles and academic scholarship relevant to the study. I find that although consumption in all areas of Chinese life has increased rapidly since the 1980s, China does not appear to be following the Western consumption model because of its unique institutions, a different culture, and practices like face and guanxi . In addition, although Bourdieu's theory has some value when describing Chinese consumption practices, his approach also needs to be revised to meet the unique character of Chinese society.
TOPICAL NAME USED AS SUBJECT
Asian Studies
Social structure
UNCONTROLLED SUBJECT TERMS
Subject Term
Social sciences
Subject Term
Exceptionalism
Subject Term
China
Subject Term
Middle class
Subject Term
Conspicuous consumption
Subject Term
Frugality
PERSONAL NAME - PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY
Zhang, Weiwei
PERSONAL NAME - SECONDARY RESPONSIBILITY
Stone, John, supervisor
ELECTRONIC LOCATION AND ACCESS
Date and Hour of Consultation and Access
TL636.pdf
Link text
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TL
254359
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