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Dear list members,

Kindly forgive the self-promotion. I am pleased to announce the publication
of my book ‘Material Culture and Authenticity: Fake Branded Fashion in
Europe’ (Bloomsbury, 2014).

*Abstract*

The study of material culture demonstrates that objects make people just as
much as people make, exchange and consume objects. But what if these
objects are, in the eyes of others, *only *fakes? What kind of material
mirror are people looking into? Are their real selves really reflected in
this mirror? This book provides an original and revealing study into
engagements with objects that are not what they are claimed and presumed to
be and, subsequently, are believed to betray their makers as well as users.

Drawing upon an ethnography of fake branded garments in Turkey and
Romania, *Material
Culture and Authenticity *shows how people can make authentic positions for
themselves in and through fake objects.

The book will be of interest to students and scholars working in the fields
of anthropology, material culture and cultural studies as well as to
general readers interested in ethnographic alternatives to biographies of
famous fakers and fakes.

 *Reviews*

“In this rich ethnography of the markets and small textiles manufacturers
of Turkey and Romania, Craciun constructs an alternative theory of brands,
arguing that the materiality of branded goods - their shininess,
smoothness; their pattern, cut, trimming and bobbling - are more important
than the brand itself. A must read for anyone interested in thinking
critically about the contemporary theorization of brands, authenticity,
consumption, and materiality.”

*Haidy Geismar, Anthropology and Museum Studies, New York University &
Department of Anthropology, University College London*



“Craciun’s research provides an evocative account of how people struggle to
negotiate authenticity in a world of inauthentic objects, namely fake
branded goods. Through a nuanced and engaging ethnography, the book makes
an extremely important contribution to the literature on authenticity and
material culture. It will be essential reading for those interested in the
experience of authenticity and its role in mediating personal relationships
and identities.”

*Sian Jones, Professor of Archaeology, University of Manchester, UK*



If this is of interest to you or your students, I would be grateful if you
would consider recommending the book to your university library.



If you are interested in reviewing the book on an institutional or personal
blog, please request a review copy directly from Bloomsbury. If you would
like to write a review for a journal, please send a query to that journal’s
review editor, who can request a review copy on your behalf.

Best wishes,

Magda Craciun



-- 
magda

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