Consumption in the Age of Affluence: The World of Food / Edition 1

by Ben Fine, Michael Heasman, Judith Wright

Overview

With growing affluence in the developed world, food has become an increasing focus for attention. Here, the authors argue that in order to understand the extensive and dramatic developments in the world of food, a new interdisciplinary approach is necessary. The Age of Affluence successfully addresses food consumption in this way. The volume:
* argues the importance of socioeconomic and cultural factors over diet, in influencing the production, marketing and consumption of different groups of foods;
* places food systems theory on sound analytical foundations;
* draws critically upon food systems literature;
* includes case studies from the sugar, dairy and meat systems;
* employs novel statistical techniques to identify and explain distinct patterns of food consumption;
The book will help to revitalize the discipline of food studies and points the way forward for the continuing study of food consumption. As such, it will be invaluable to students, researchers and policymakers engaged in the world of food.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415131551
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	12/28/1995
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)
Lexile:	1620L (what's this?)

About the Author

Ben Fine is Professor of Economics and Director of the Centre for Economic Policy for Southern Africa at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. His previous work includes The World of Consumption with Ellen Leopold and was published by Routledge in 1993. Michael Heasman is Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Food Policy, Thames Valley University, London. He has researched widely on different aspects of the food economy. Judith Wright is a Research Officer at the Social Statistics Research Unit, City University. She has undertaken research using a variety of large social survey datasets.

Table of Contents

Part I From food studies to food systems 1 INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW 2 FOOD STUDIES: AN INITIAL ASSESSMENT Part II Specifying food systems 3 FOOD SYSTEM THEORY 4 DIFFERENTIATING FOOD SYSTEMS Part III Theoretical and empirical applications 5 THE UK SUGAR SYSTEM 6 SUGAR OR SWEET 7 THE POVERTY OF FOOD ECONOMETRICS Part IV What we eat and why 8 FOOD NORMS: METHODS AND DATA 9 CHILDREN, LOW INCOME AND THE SAUSAGE SYNDROME 10 THE MEAT SYSTEM 11 FOOD AND CLASS 12 THE DAIRY SYSTEM Part V Whither food studies? 13 SUMMING UP AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Editorial Reviews

'... should be read widely... offers a fresh perspective with which to analyze issues that have troubled Marxists for many years...' - Capital & Class

From the Publisher