Contact:
Jonathan Potts
412-268-6094

For immediate release:
October 17, 2003

Author Will Discuss Consumer Culture During Appearance at Carnegie Mellon

WHAT: Author Lizabeth Cohen, a former Carnegie Mellon history professor, will discuss her book "A Consumer's Republic: The Politics of Mass Consumption in Postwar America" at Carnegie Mellon University. In this impressive new book Cohen argues that we have largely ignored or misunderstood the political significance of the consumer culture. She challenges the idea that the mass consumer culture has been homogenizing, and she argues that mass culture quickly turned to market segmentation, leading to increasing market and social segregation. Cohen shows that Americans have understood consumption in political terms‹and have used consumer-based tactics to fight for broader political rights.

WHEN: Cohen's talk at Carnegie Mellon is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Oct. 31. It is free and open to the public.

WHERE: Giant Eagle Auditorium in Baker Hall on Carnegie Mellon's campus in Oakland.

WHO: Cohen's talk is sponsored by the History and English departments at Carnegie Mellon.