These volumes comprise the most extensive guide to past and current research on the topic of consumption ever created. Ranging from the classic discussions of a century and more ago to the latest evidence for the diversity of consumption as it is actually practiced, this set is an essential foundation for one of the most rapidly growing areas of contemporary academic study.The contents are highly inter-disciplinary, with approaches ranging from anthropology and media studies, to geography and business studies. Each discipline provides its own theories, perspectives and methodologies for studying this topic. These volumes also make use of the rapid increase in studies of actual consumption across the globe, with examples from China, Japan, India and South America.