This article presents a reflexive discussion as to how new academic communities can legitimize their field of work. I integrate Abbott’s theory of professionalism and the body of consumer research on brand communities, subcultures and microculture consumption practices to propose a market-based theory of legitimacy. I identify four modes of practices that allow academic communities to break through the boundaries of cultural and social legitimacy: (1) mobilizing cultural myths, (2) code switching, (3) creating market resources and (4) community building. To illustrate, I examine the rise of the subfield of Consumer Culture Theory within consumer behavior.
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