How do objects that are of little worth become valuable? In Rubbish Theory Michael Thompson
argues that there are two mutually exclusive cultural categories that are socially imposed on
the world of objects: a transient category and a durable category. However he identifies a
'region of flexibility' where a transient object which declines in value and life span can
in fact linger on in a valueless and timeless limbo of 'rubbish' until it is discovered by a
creative individual and transferred across into the durable category. Who are the people who
are able to affect this value-creating transfer and which types of people feel at home with
transient objects durable objects and rubbish objects? Thompson links stability and change on
the one hand with materiality on the other providing a rich analysis of social and cultural
dynamics. First published in 1979 this book has become a classic in its field. This second
edition includes a new introduction afterword and a foreword which describes the book's huge
influence across the arts and social sciences - from cultural studies to anthropology - over
the four decades since it was first published placing it in a contemporary context that shines
light on the relevance of the book today.
