The area of theortical development that I currently find most
compelling is concerned with consumer behavior (i.e.processes
of choice) and its role in creating/maintaining complex social
identities. Admittedly this area of theory is not strictly
archaeological, but it has great promise for archaeologists.
 
In this I include the works such as Pieire Bourdieu (1984,
_Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste_.
Harvard U. Press, Cambridge), Daniel Miller (1987, _Material
Culture and Mass Consumption_. Blackwell, New York), and Grant
McCracken (1990, _Culture and Consumption: New Approaches to
the Sybolic Character of Consumer Goods and Activites_. Indiana
University Press, Bloomington).
 
It is particularly interesting that this theme is also "hot"
among certain historians.  See Ann Smart Martin's 1993 article
in _Winterthur Portfolio_ (28(2/3):141-57) "Makers, Buyers, and
Users: Consumerism as a Material Culture Framework" for a very
insightful review of the literature. She takes the position
that "consumerism" can be the central theory for material
culture research.
 
John P. McCarthy
Senior Archaeologist/Historian
Institute for Minnesota Archaeology/
IMA Consulting, Inc.
 
 
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