Consumption, Identity, Space: Shopping Malls in Bogotá

The centrality of consumerism – and therefore of goods – in our society has become an undisputed fact; yet this issue has long been neglected by the academic and social sciences, remaining the exclusive domain of market research. Far from being a mere consequence of increased production, it is significant for analysis precisely because of its important symbolic function. Its role cannot be limited to the simple act of buying. One possible theoretical approach for investigating this role is to focus on the spaces designated for the distribution of goods, since these gather and express the deeper issues of the social fabric to which they belong. I therefore focus my attention on shopping malls, structures that have always maintained a very close relationship with cities and urban settings, through a case study on Bogotá.