New Media and Public Activism: Neoliberalism, the State and Radical Protest in the Public Sphere - Softcover

Roberts, John Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1447308212 ISBN 13: 9781447308218

Publisher: Policy Press, 2014

Synopsis

The Arab Spring was but the most prominent example of  political activism that made extensive use of social media―everything from petitions to constituent communications have been affected by the rise of new communications technologies. But in New Media and Public Activism, John Michael Roberts poses a troubling question: Is this activism actually new and effective, or are we instead being transformed into subjects of online consumption and orderly surveillance, rather than being committed social and political campaigners? Taking a political economy perspective, Roberts offers an indispensable guide to understanding the relationship between the state, new media activism, and neoliberal practices.

About this title

About the Author:

John Michael Roberts is a senior lecturer in sociology and communications at Brunel University, London.

Review:

“John Michael Roberts is one of the first to offer a comprehensive and intelligent analysis of new media's implications for the public sector, from activism to organized labor. His book is a must read for anyone interested in the role of communication and media technologies in the blurring of boundaries between private, public and commercial."

(José van Dijck, University of Amsterdam author of "The Culture of Connectivity: A Critical History of Social Media")

“A rich critique concerning the implications of digital media in contemporary thought, governance, and resistance. Roberts has produced a provocative and accessible book that reinvigorates debates concerning labour, the state, and contradiction in the context of neoliberal capitalism.”

(Edward A. Comor, University of Western Ontario, Canada)

“This is an extremely good book, which contains a range of fascinating arguments and ideas about new media public spheres.”

(Jonathan Joseph, University of Sheffield)

“John Michael Roberts presents an innovative critical exploration of new media and its relationship to public activism. Drawing on a wealth of empirical case studies and everyday examples, he not only shows the continual relevance of critical theory for an investigation of digital democracy but with equal force demonstrates the importance of taking state power and neoliberalism seriously in any analysis of new media activism and dissent.”

(Myria Georgiou, London School of Economics)

About this edition

• Publisher: Policy Press
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1447308212
• ISBN 13: 9781447308218
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 240