The biennial EIASM Interpretive Consumer Research Workshop will be held in Malaga. The workshop attracts established and emerging scholars mainly, but not exclusively, from Europe. We are interested in examining the symbolic, socio-cultural, historical, ideological, and experiential aspects of consumption and we draw our theoretical inspiration from a wide variety of research traditions from the social sciences, arts and humanities. 

 

A key feature of the event, that makes it different from a typical conference, is that we strive to maintain the ‘workshop’ spirit. This means that it is relatively small and intimate and offers an opportunity to discuss ideas in an informal, friendly, and supportive atmosphere.  Moreover, we expect submissions about ongoing research projects in early stages of development. Published papers or those that are already in the review process are not the target for this workshop.

 

To foster dialogue and debate, the focus will continue to be theoretical and methodological innovation in interpretive consumer research; that is, we are not overly concerned with empirically grounded papers. We are inviting papers, and special sessions (a series of three papers focused around a specific theoretical or methodological issue). In addition, we welcome suggestions for roundtable discussions from a group of scholars focused on a substantive theme.

 

We invite papers, special sessions and roundtables that address (but are not limited to) the following themes:

• Methodological innovation in interpretive consumer research

• Theoretical approaches that provide new or alternative ways of understanding consumers, consumption and consumer culture (PhD students can submit the theoretical frameworks that underpin their doctoral theses)

• Concepts that help us reimagine consumption within an increasingly unsettled global landscape

• New developments in theoretical/philosophical approaches that have relevance to consumer researchers, in light of larger societal challenges (inequality, sustainability etc.)

• New ideas that are at the early stage of conceptual/ theoretical development

• The examination of under-theorised domains of consumer action and experience

• Critical reviews of existing theoretical/methodological approaches.

 

• For papers, 1 page abstract, 12 pt Times New Roman, single spaced (excluding references);  for special sessions 2 pages with 1 section that introduces the theme and three short abstracts of each paper in the session; for roundtables 1 page abstract plus a list of roundtable discussants.

• To maximize participation, please note that each person may only be accepted as first author on one submission.

• Papers to be submitted via this EIASM webpage; deadline December 18th 2023

• Notification of acceptance: between January 15-19, 2024. Registration of authors: February 12, 2023.

• For accepted abstracts, 5 page papers, including front page, references and appendix must be sent by March 11th 2024.