What makes a good paper? Analytic and Continental ideals in consumer culture theory

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to illuminate the characteristics of Analytic and Continental scholarship to generate a deeper appreciation for both writing styles in the consumer culture theory (CCT) community. Design/methodology/approach Two CCT researchers discuss the merits of Analytic and Continental scholarship in an accessible dialogical format. Findings Analytic ideals of scholarship, espoused by elite academic journals, include conceptual rigor, logical claims, theoretical coherence, researcher agnosticism and broad generalizability. Continental ideals of scholarship, more likely to be espoused by niche and/or critical journals, include creative writing, holistic interpretation, intellectual imagination, political provocation and deep contextualization. Originality/value This dialogue may build more understanding across variously oriented scholars, literatures, and journals in the CCT community.