Globalizing Everyday Consumption in India: History and Ethnography edited by Bhaswati Bhattacharya and Henrike Donner (and published by Routledge in 2020) is a thought-provoking compilation of essays that delves into the fascinating evolution of consumer culture in colonial and post-colonial India. Through a meticulous examination of the interplay between consumption and identity, the book offers valuable insights into the profound influence of consumer cultures on the daily lives of Indians. This collection of essays, elegantly crafted in its first edition, significantly emphasizes the emergence of “Indian modernity” by scrutinizing a specific development model and the functioning of consumer culture in contemporary India.

Historically, commodities have played a pivotal role in nationalist imaginings, symbolizing an independent nation’s association with modernity. In this context, the Indian state actively endorsed the production of key commodities like sugar, cement, and steel, promoting self-sufficiency. Simultaneously, government-funded campaigns highlighted the contribution of certain industries to the nation’s progress, countering private campaigns that leaned heavily on tradition. Throughout the book, the common thread connecting various consumption patterns to identity underscores the intrinsic connection between consumerism and identity, with specific elements of consumption emerging as markers of “Indianness.”

A notable shift from the traditional bazaar economy, reliant on kinship and networks, was the emergence of the “Indian market.” This transformation brought an acceleration in the marketing of previously bazaar-bound commodities for mass consumption. Advertising played a pivotal role in this transformation, as exemplified in the initial chapters of the book. Venkatachalapathy meticulously traces the advent of advertising during the late colonial period, evolving from simple handbills to full-fledged advertising agencies, particularly in the context of Tamil print technology. Regional print media, such as the influential Tamil periodical Swadesamitran, assumed a central role in advertising commodities, even when segmented along linguistic lines. Importantly, advertising was initially limited to imported products but later expanded to encompass electric household appliances, leading to significant shifts in Indian middle-class domestic infrastructure.

The late 1920s saw local electric companies, notably the Bombay Electric Supply and Tramway Company, Limited (BEST), strategically using advertising to broaden their customer base, targeting households. Their advertising campaigns actively promoted the use of electrical goods as a sign of modernity, and they introduced the concept of the “ideal home” closely tied to societal standards of family labour division, primarily aimed at housewives. This transformation is eloquently captured in Donner’s ethnographic work among middle-class families in Kolkata, where neoliberalism facilitated the emergence of a new feminine identity based on idealized roles as mothers and wives. Being a housewife became synonymous with managing various domestic tasks, requiring substantial knowledge to navigate the complexities of consumer identities.

McGowan’s chapter draws attention to the connection between modern living and the idea of home. In the years leading up to independence, major architectural firms actively promoted modern home concepts to the public, instilling a sense of hopefulness for a nation on the cusp of freedom. Architectural books with names like “Indian Architecture,” “Modern Ideal Homes for India,” and “The Modern House in India” not only influenced living standards but also shaped desires and consumer behaviours related to homes, styles, and attitudes. The middle-class family ceased to be just a site of consumption but became a significant setting for the realization of consumer citizenship.

Khan and Kar further explore the nuanced relationship between consumerism and citizenship. Khan’s research sheds light on the complex interplay between Muslim youth’s consumptive behaviours, identity, and self-actualization in the realms of education, employment, and recreation. Likewise, Kar’s work introduces microcredit programs tailored for disadvantaged urban women, which not only create and perpetuate class distinctions but also exemplify global modernity. This raises critical questions about how class and caste advantages influence consumer citizenship and ideologies, and how they can dehumanize certain working-class or communities as inferior and backward.

The book analyses the highly differentiated class and gendered consumption of tobacco, with machine-rolled cigarettes representing ‘modern India,’ while local bidi became a symbol of traditional, rural India, primarily consumed by the working class. Advertising strategies further legitimized these distinctions between products and consumers. Similarly, coffee transformed into a significant commodity, promoting sociability and a unique sense of Indianness, exemplified by brands like Indian Coffee House.

“Globalizing Everyday Consumption in India: History and Ethnography” is a captivating historical and ethnographic exploration that dissects the relationships among production practices, market cultures, and consumer preferences. It offers a profound contribution to the field of consumption studies, shedding light on the construction of consumer identities that transcend class, gender, caste, and communities. This work is an excellent addition to the scholarship on the dynamics of consumer culture in India.

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Chinggelniang is a PhD Candidate in Sociology at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi.