The World Behind the Demand Curve: A History of the Economics of Consumption in the U.S. (1885-1934)[Le monde derrière la courbe de la demande: une histoire de l'économie de la consommation aux États-Unis (1885-1934)]

The thesis is a historical investigation that traces the emergence of a field of research dedicated to the study of consumption in the United States in the early 20th century. The notable feature of this field is that it was essentially composed of protagonists located on the fringe of political economy, the vast majority of whom were women associated with the home economics discipline. This research examines the role played by epistemological and gender issues in this little-known historical episode, providing an opportunity to study how objects emerge in the history of science in dialogue with the shaping of the identities of scientific discourse producers. This thesis characterizes consumption in the history of American political economy as a boundary delineating between different disciplines, and reflecting the significance of the socio-historical context in the construction of knowledge.