About the Course
Honest disclosure is required to answer this question: how many of us will admit to the "I shop; therefore I am" motto'? We shop when we are happy when we are depressed (thus the term Retail Therapy!), or when we are anxious. Looks like we do not need an excuse to shop! But why do we shop/consume? What pushes us to become hoarders or deal hunters? How is our 'irresponsible' consumerism impacting society, Earth, and the environment? In this course, we will be looking for answers to these questions while we unpack the history, evolution, and trends in consumer culture and retail architecture.
Your Instructor
Jennifer Jalal (Ph.D.)
Jennifer Jalal holds a Master's degree in Sociology and Urban and Regional Planning and a Ph.D. in Development Studies. She brings with her 20 years of international experience, teaching and conducting multi-disciplinary research on urban development issues. She also has extensive knowledge of the non-profit sector, having worked with various NGOs in India, her country of origin, and as the founder - Director of a creative community initiative near Toronto, Canada, where she is based. Her current research interests are in understanding overlapping dynamics between humans and their built environment (physical structures) and the various socio-spatial transitions we go through in society. A firm believer in experiential learning, her courses touch upon a variety of contemporary issues, allowing learners to explore and question societal trends and patterns drawing from their own life experiences and contexts within which they are located.