During a recent visit to Pakistan, an overseas Pakistani observed how modern consumer culture has reshaped daily life, where even expressions of love and family bonding are increasingly commodified. In a playful attempt to win the adoration of her TikTok-obsessed nieces and nephews, she bought the viral “Dubai chocolate,” a high-end treat priced at around […]
Consumer Culture
Cheap solar panels power consumer appliance boom in North Korea
Years after they first appeared in North Korea, increasingly cheap and available solar panels are giving a boost to consumer consumption and industry as Pyongyang tries to limit the impact of tough international sanctions. Electricity shortages have been a perennial concern for North Korea, and leader Kim Jong Un has called for greater use of […]