The Road to Neofeudalism: Technology, the Left and the Future (Digital Activism And Society: Politics, Economy And Culture In Network Communication)

The Road to Neofeudalism anchors its enquiry on the novel concept of neofeudalism that has surfaced to center stage across the fields of media and communication, Internet studies, critical policy studies and political theory. Through an in-depth analysis of neofeudalism using empirical research, Patelis examines the Greek political party Syriza―the embodiment of collective subjectivity. Critical discussions dissect the link between Syriza and social movements, revealing its neofeudalist politics. Unpublished research spanning 2015 to 2023 sheds light on Syriza’s rise, fall, and pivotal role in Western debates.

Situating the rise of Syriza and Greece within a broader context, chapters analyze telecommunications deregulation, market domination, and the influence of GAFAM (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft) in social movements. Dissecting Syriza’s winning 2015 digital campaign, Patelis presents original research on their communication strategies and the tools employed―political content marketing, targeting, and social media metrics.

The Road to Neofeudalism is essential reading for both postgraduate and undergraduate students who study politics, digital media, and communication practices. It is also relevant to social media researchers, especially those with an interest in issues of privacy, surveillance and self-presentation online.

Korinna Patelis, Ph.D., is an academic theorist, digital policymaker, and Internet veteran. She has been on the front lines of the web since its inception, writing her doctoral thesis on the Political Economy of the Internet at Goldsmiths in the 1990s. Her approach blends a unique hands-on experience in web production and digital storytelling with a deep commitment to the Left. She served as a key architect of digital policy for Syriza. Her writing explores the power dynamics of commercial software, tech monopolies, and artificial intelligence, arguing for a new, progressive approach to regulation.