“Consumption and Society”, University of Shanghai (since 2011)

• Lecturer: Dunfu Zhang
• Program: bachelor level classroom seminar; related to studies in environmental sciences, political science, business, sociology and anthropology
• Duration: one semester; 3 credits; class size: 15-25
• Focus: acquaint students with theoretical perspectives, methods, practices and research in social approaches to consumption; “help students gain a deeper understanding of global transformation from a producers’ society to a consumers’ society”; gain experience in empirical research using ethnographic methods.
• Topics:
  1. Food and social change/social space in China;
  2. Modes of provision of goods, services and social change of consumption patterns in China;
  3. Commercial landscape (informal markets, shopping malls, shopping online, etc.),
  4. Leisure activities;
  5. Commercialization of relationships and social consequences (teacher-student / doctor-patient relationship);
  6. Sustainable consumption and social change/everyday-life social practice.
• Novel approach: International scholars were invited to present in the course; seminars were filmed, with plans to make them available to the public (video.chaoxing.com/); select students attended the 2016 conference on “Ecological Civilization Sustainable Consumption Insights for Social Governance”, to interact with domestic and international scholars, NGO leaders and other stakeholders.
• Student evaluation: observation reports; research projects and assignments
• Course evaluation: very positive.
• Awards: chosen as one of the Shanghai University Key Courses, with financial support of $3000
• Challenge: involving more perspectives from stakeholders such as government, business, and NGOs.