Conceptualising Demand

A Distinctive Approach to Consumption and Practice

Elizabeth Shove author Jenny Rinkinen author Greg Marsden author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd

Published:21st Jul '20

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Conceptualising Demand cover

This book addresses fundamental questions about the very idea of demand: how is it constituted, how does it change and how might it be steered?

Conceptualising Demandfocuses on five core propositions: that demand is derived from social practices; that it is made and not simply met; that it is materially embedded and temporally unfolding; and that it is modulated through many forms of policy and governance. In working through these claims, the book weaves concepts from the sociology of consumption, science and technology studies, policy analyses and social theories of practice together with empirical cases and new research into such topics as the rise of refrigerated foods, the emergence of online shopping and the transformation of energy demanding services.

This innovative book takes a fresh look at the very idea of demand, a concept that is often taken for granted, but that is vital for scholars and students of energy, mobility, climate change and consumption, and anyone interested in the subject.

"This is an agenda-setting book. Combining big ideas with telling examples, it shows how we need to follow the practices of daily life if we want to understand the growth of demand. Vital reading for anyone hoping to come to grips with our dangerously growing appetite for energy and mobility." --Frank Trentmann, History, Birkbeck College, UK.

"This book is a response to the urgency of low carbon transitions. It argues for approaches that go beyond energy efficiency and that explicitly focus on how demand is shaped – and can be reduced. The authors sum up insights from decades of research in a way that is accessible and inspiring for new readers and for those already familiar with social practice theory and governance." -- Inge Røpke, Ecological Economics, Aalborg University, Copenhagen, Denmark.

"Conceptualising Demand provides a coherent account of the social, material and historical foundations of demand, a concept which has become central to many areas of research and policy. A must-read for anyone trying to change demand in the energy or mobility sectors." -- Yolande Strengers, Emerging Technologies Research Lab, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.

ISBN: 9780367465025

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 453g

114 pages