ONGOING ADOPTION OF THE ASSEMBLAGE THEORY IN CONSUMER CULTURE THEORY

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the present study is to investigate how CCT adopts Assemblage Theory as basis to produce knowledge in consumer research, based on an archive of articles published in major marketing journals. Methodology: The Foucauldian Archaeology was the chosen research methodology, since it allows understanding how certain epistemes are socio-historically constituted over time, through discourse regularities. Articles adhering to the CCT field, which adopted the Assemblage Theory, were analysed based on this methodology. Findings: Analysishave evidenced that the Assemblage Theory is a blunt option to ground CCT research because of its link to other theories and because it is a way to investigate consumer culture phenomena. Moreover, it is aligned with a central phenomenon in the field. These factors ground two discursive positions that support the Assemblage Theory either as an external approach useful for CCT studies or as a new naturalised theory in thisresearch field. Theoretical contributions: The study presents in-depth understanding about the ongoing adoption of an emerging theory in the CCT field; it was possible due to the adoption of an epistemic-based methodological approach. Implications and insights for a research agenda were herein presented. Practical contributions: Foucauldian Archaeology using has provided an epistemic view about the use ofAssemblage Theory in the CCT field. Thus, the current research provides the basis to think about the applications and potential consolidation of such a theory in the CCT research field.