America at the Mall

The Cultural Role of a Retail Utopia

Lisa Scharoun author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:McFarland & Co Inc

Published:23rd Apr '12

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

America at the Mall cover

Since the construction of the first fully enclosed shopping center in 1952, the shopping mall has evolved into the heart of many suburban areas across the United States. More than simply a place to purchase goods, this veritable "temple of consumerism" has become a primary place for community and social interaction and an essential element in many citizens' day-to-day lives.

This study explores the spiritual, emotional and physical effects of the enclosed shopping mall on the public, chronicling the growth of the mall, its role in shaping urban and suburban life, its positive and negative impacts on society and the environment, and its future viability. As this work shows, the mall remains rich in symbolic influence, and in many ways mirrors the American condition.

“This book covers it all.... Recommended”—Choice; “charts the rise and fall of the shopping mall, looking at the mall not just as a commercial site, but as a rich institution of American culture”—Reference & Research Book News.

ISBN: 9780786462728

Dimensions: 229mm x 152mm x 14mm

Weight: 367g

271 pages