People | Doing | Things

In recent years material culture has been drawing more attention from science and the general public. We’re concerned about the consequences of increasing consumption, there is a growing need to conserve culture in museums, and people are wondering what kind of role things are now playing in the formation of our identity.

This book picks up on trends in this intriguing field of research and uses empirical studies to investigate relationships between people and things in various parts of the world. Although it’s about the economy, it’s also about social meanings and emotions. Yet, according to this book, the role of each different thing is not simply preordained, but develops solely through human activity.