Spaces for Consumption

In Spaces for Consumption Steven Miles develops a penetrating critique of a key shift characterising the contemporary city. Theoretically informed, the other strength of the volume lies in the wealth of examples that are drawn upon to show how cities are becoming spaces for consumption, which has itself rapidly become a global phenomenon.

-- Ronan Paddison
This is a great book. Powerfully written and lucid, it provides a thorough introduction to concepts of consumption as they relate to the spaces of cities. The spaces themselves - the airports, the shopping malls, the museums and cultural quarters - are analysed in marvellous detail, and with a keen sense of historical precedent. And, refreshingly, Miles doesn′t simply dismiss cultures of consumption out of hand, but shows how as consumers we are complicit in, and help define those cultures. His book makes a major contribution to our understanding of contemporary cities, but is accessible enough to appeal to any reader with an interest in this important area. -- Richard Williams
Challenges the accepted idea that post-industrial cities should be flagships of consumer culture. Through a wide-ranging survey of the literature, Miles shows that shopping malls, art museums, and spectacular festivals really create a less authentic experience of urban life. -- Sharon Zukin
Spaces for Consumption is a very important book, and perhaps the most instructive English book in urban studies published in the last five years. Its theoretical framework is rich and diversified; many quotes borrowed from other publications (either in cultural geography, urban studies, cultural studies, or sociology) are almost like little treasures because of their diversity and usefulness. Spaces and Consumption is the kind of book that puts names and concepts behind ideas and trends. -- Yves Laberge
This is an excellent book for developing a knowledge of theory and process. The chapter on Themed Parks is connected with branding but does not make a strong enough link to branding as discussed in Marketing literature. Hence, business students may not appreciate the value of this text.

More of a social science student cohort.
-- Dr Aaron Van Klyton * drupal *
Specific chapters will be useful for particular research options. -- Dr Alex MacDonald * drupal *
I′ve adopted this text, but not for the class originally intended (Global Economic Dev.). I found it very useful in providing a strong and consistent, well supported argument on consumption that I found most relevant to my course on Global Cities--Los Angeles course. This is not really a book that can be assigned in pieces to a course, but rather, needs to be assigned in its entirety for its full impact. -- Dr Ghada Masri * drupal *
The book offers a critical analysis of the space of cities, arguing that contemporary cities are ideologically consumeristic in character. Rich details on consumption in difference spaces are perceptive and informative. It is an enjoyable reading too. -- Dr Miyoung Oh * drupal *
This is a fantastic resource on the city. Miles goes beyond looking at the pervasive nature of consumption that has, in the past few decades, succeeded in reshaping the contemporary city and its architecture, and looks at how it produces new ontologies and realities.

The book comes alive when the epiphenomena of consumption take centre stage: the emergence of the curated city offering experience and spectacle as a form of commodity; as well as the rise of new synthetic forms of community engendered by the marriage of virtual forms of social media and the real instantiations of these experiential and spectacular environments.
-- Mr Andrei Martin * drupal *
In-depth analysis of recent and current spatial transformations and their economic reconfigurations. Valuable as context and/or primary analytical tool. -- Mr Eric Erbacher * drupal *
Excellent book on both space/place in urban sociology and the consumptive aspects of the modern economy. Students would find a number of articles interesting, but the broader discussion around globalization would be lost in favor of focusing on a few topics. Good book for course on McDonaldization or Consumptive Spaces.

Thanks -- Mr Mark Caldwell * drupal *
A fantastic text but not what I thought it might be and unfortunately it doesn′t suit the course -- Mr Mark Timoney * drupal *
Highly accessible and engaging text that is wide-ranging in scope and connects with a variety of themes and debates beyond consumption per so. -- Mr Nick Sage * drupal *
a key text summarising a whole research agenda -- Mr Richard Kotter * drupal *
Excellent book - used across levels of critical theory for Interior Architecture and Design, Fashion and Product Design -- Mr Shaun Borstrock * drupal *
Excellent and diverse readings. Well written and enjoyable even if you are not using it as a teaching aid. Particularly enjoyed material on Glasgow -- Ms Maria Feeney * drupal *
An analytical and erudite analysis of how a city can be commodified that then critically dissects this ′shaping′ to reflect on how commodification impacts upon us as living beings. -- Ms Therese Lewis * drupal *
A really good theoretical insight into consumption and space. -- Professor Daniel Briggs * drupal *