Chapter 1 – A Day in the Life of Your Jeans: Using Our Stuff to Discover Sociology
Chapter Summary
This introductory chapter uses the case study of jeans to introduce the concept of the sociological imagination. A sociological imagination allows you to connect private troubles to public issues and social structures. The overall philosophy of the book is explained: to use stuff from everyday consumer culture to explain key sociological concepts and ways of thinking. We also introduce the concepts of capitalism and consumer culture, which will be key reference points in the pages ahead. You will learn how the discipline of sociology grew up alongside capitalism, and how sociology can help us better understand the ups and downs of our lives within consumer culture. Finally, we introduce three thinking frames that will be used throughout the book, and which highlight three key modes of sociological thinking. Specifically, these frames sensitize us to 1) the material and cultural elements of social life; 2) the tension between social structures and human agency; 3) the importance of looking at the social world through small-scale (“micro”) perspectives as well as large-scale (“macro”) standpoints. Using these thinking frames, you will learn to think like a sociologist, and approach the commonplace “stuff” in your life with fresh eyes.
Further Reading
Chernyshova, Natalya. 2020. “‘The Great Soviet Dream’: Blue Jeans in the Brezhnev Era and Beyond.” In Roberts, Graham H., ed. Material Culture in Russia and the USSR: Things, Values, Identities [1st ed]. Bloomsbury Academic.
This article explores the cultural and social significance of blue jeans in the Soviet Union during the 1970s and 1980s. It delves into the desire for Western consumer goods, particularly jeans, among Soviet youth, and the emergence of a black market trade and illegal manufacturing of Western brands. The article also examines the transformation of jeans from a symbol of Western affluence to an emblem of Russia’s socialist past in the post-socialist era.
Discussion questions
- What were the reasons behind the desire for jeans in the Soviet Union? How did this desire reflect the attitudes and aspirations of the urban middle-class and workers during the 1970s?
- How did the material conditions of the late Soviet era shape the cultural meaning of jeans in the USSR?
- How did the scarcity of imported jeans in the USSR contribute to emerging forms of status distinction?
May, Reuben A. Buford. 2015. “Discrimination and Dress Codes in Urban Nightlife.” Contexts, 14(1): 38-43.
This article discusses the issue of racial discrimination in nightclub dress codes, focusing on the experiences of African-American men in a predominantly White college town. The author highlights instances where dress codes have been used to target racial minority groups, leading to exclusion and unfair treatment. Overall, the study finds that dress codes may serve as covert forms of racial discrimination, disproportionately affecting African-American men and restricting their participation in urban nightlife.
Discussion questions
- How have dress codes been used to racially discriminate against African American men in nightclubs?
- How do nightclub owners and bouncers justify the use and implementation of dress codes?
- What are the implications of dress codes on the reproduction of social inequalities?
Miller, Daniel and Sophie Woodward. 2012. Blue Jeans: The Art of the Ordinary. University of California Press.
Why are jeans such a commonplace feature of everyday life? Miller and Woodward’s (2012) book examines this question, suggesting that the desire for “comfort” is a central force in contemporary consumer culture. These anthropologists argue that jeans provide comfort in a range of ways, from the physical comfort of flexible denim fabric to the social comfort of being able to fit into a variety of settings. Fundamentally, the authors see jeans as a means through which their wearers become ordinary – an achievement that requires active cultural and material work.
Discussion questions
- Why is the “ordinariness” of jeans so highly valued among a wide variety of consumers? How do jeans allow their wearers to attain the status of ordinary?
- How does this analysis address the tension between individual agency and social structures in the context of jeans wearing?
- How do immigrant populations use jeans as a strategy to navigate identity and assimilation in the context of their new surroundings?
What are the strengths and limitations of Woodward and Miller’s ethnographic approach in studying the significance of jeans in diverse cultural contexts? How does their micro-level focus enable us to see broader social patterns?
Quizzes
Test your knowledge with the Chapter 1 quizzes!
Quiz
Active Learning – Further Online Resources
Calculate your consumption footprint:
Use an online ecological footprint calculator to learn about the larger material impact of your consumption choices. Go to: http://footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/calculators/
Made to last:
Watch the Levi’s advertisement entitled “When they’re made to last, we can all waste less,” available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oCB0SwxJB8 How does this ad balance a perspective on jeans as both a humble, everyday item, and a piece of clothing that makes people seem cool, unique, and distinct? How does the ad portray jeans as both an intimate, personal commodity, and an item that has a global reach? How does Levi’s frame responsibility for ecological sustainability? Do you think the ad provides a positive perspective on the Levi’s brand? Why or why not?
Flashcards
Refresh your knowledge of key terms with this chapter’s flashcards.