Practices of Postsocialist Consumption in Suburban Milieu: Desire for a New Suburban House in Pierīga and Its Fulfilment. Summary of the Doctoral Thesis

Abstract

The Doctoral thesis deals with post-socialist consumption practices, implementing the dream of a private house in suburban milieu. The basic problem of the research topic is rather the emotional than knowledge- and experience-based performance, frequently common in daily consumption practices, and its relation with specific, neo-liberalism features in economics, social area and environmental development, characteristic to post-socialism. The objective of the research has been defined according to the specifics of the problem and the main issues to be studied – how post-socialist consumption practices develop, implementing the desire for a new private house in suburb, and what factors affect this practice. Research interest has been aimed at actions, emotions, “things” and skills of Pierīga residents, involved in social and consumption practices, implementing their dream of a new private house. The sense and teleoemotional character of consumption practice turn out analyzing the theories which reveal variety of theoretical approaches of practice and consumer culture. The theoretical substantiation of the Doctoral thesis is comprised by application of practice theory in sociologic view at consumption studies. General theoretical approach to practice suggests studies in several dimensions. In the Doctoral thesis, qualitative data and its analysis have been added by quantitative study results. In the research, qualitative study methods were applied, therefore for data acquisition semi-structured interviews were used, participant observation was performed and photos, characterizing the environment and the new private houses, were obtained and analysed in qualitative study. Analysis of qualitative data is based on grounded theory approach. Analysis and interpretation of all empirical data is based on mixed study methods. The research data substantiates the main conclusion of the Doctoral thesis that the motivation of private house consumption practices, formed within the borderline between the past and present, is a combination of post-socialist normality understanding and memories about parents’ and grandparents’ houses.