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Episode details

Radio 4,14 Nov 2007,30 mins

Suicide Bombers - Luxury

Thinking Allowed

Available for over a year

SUICIDE BOMBERS Can the nineteenth century sociologist Emile Durkheim provide the key to understanding present-day suicide bombers? Laurie Taylor is joined by James Dingley, Chairman of Northern Light Review, who, this Saturday,will be presenting a paper entitled Durkheimiam Analysis of Suicide Bombing at the University of Kent conference on Suicide Bombers in the Middle East. LUXURY Luxury brands were distinctive for being small, often family owned businesses with a dedication to traditional craftsmanship. Now that has all changed and they are more likely to be part of massive international conglomerates like LVMH which by 2005 had more than fifty brands including Moet Chandon champagne, Givenchy couture, Tag Heuer watches. Has it changed the products? Has it changed concept of luxury? Laurie Taylor find out the meaning of luxury in an age of mass production and debates the idea that luxury has changed forever with Dana Thomas, author of Deluxe, How Luxury Lost its Lustre and Angela McRobbie, Professor of Communications at Goldsmiths College, University of London.

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