The first academic account of the 21st century anti-war and peace movement. Empirically rich and conceptually innovative, "Anti-War Activism" pays especially close attention to the changed information environment of protest, the complex alliances of activists, the diversity of participants, as well as campaigners? use of new (and old) media.

Cecil B. DeMille, David Selznick, Louella Parsons, Joan Crawford--these legendary men and women built an empire called Hollywood. In Movie Crazy, meet another group of powerful players who shaped the film industry--the fans. MGM, for example, struggled to find a screen name for an actress named Lucille LeSeur. A fan--one of thousands who responded to a contest sponsored by the studio--called her Joan Crawford. Using fan club journals, fan letters, and studio production records, Samantha Barbas reveals how the passion, enthusiasm, and sometimes possessive advocacy of fans transformed early cinema, the modern mass media, and American popular culture. Barbas sheds new light on the development of the cult of celebrity in America, and demonstrates that while fans were avid consumers of the film industry, they did not mindlessly accept the images presented to them by the studios. Fans reacted to movies and stars with excitement, anger, confusion, joy, or boredom. Far from a united force, fans were often complex, and never predictable.

Through American history, often in times of crisis, there have been periodic outbreaks of obsession with the paranormal. Between 2004 and 2019, over six dozen documentary-style series dealing with paranormal subject matter premiered on television in the United States. Combining the stylistic traits of horror with earnest accounts of what are claimed to be actual events, "paranormal reality" incorporates subject matter formerly characterized as occult or supernatural into the established category of reality TV. Despite the high number of programs and their evident popularity, paranormal reality television has to date received little critical attention. Ghost Channels: Paranormal Reality Television and the Haunting of Twenty-First-Century America provides an overview of the paranormal reality television genre, its development, and its place in television history. Conducting in-depth analyses of over thirty paranormal television series, including such shows as Ghost Hunters, Celebrity Ghost Stories, and Long Island Medium, author Amy Lawrence suggests these programs reveal much about Americans' contemporary fears. Through her close readings, Lawrence asks, "What are these shows trying to tell us?" and "What do they communicate about contemporary culture if we take them seriously and watch them closely?" Ridiculed by nearly everyone, paranormal reality TV shows-with their psychics, ghost hunters, and haunted houses-provide unique insights into contemporary American culture. Half-horror, half-documentary realism, these shows expose deep-seated questions about class, race, gender, the value of technology, the failure of institutions, and what it means to be American in the twenty-first century.

Here as Virilio states, "all one can do is guess." But Virilio's position is not one of pure guessery. His extrapolationist position against his delirium state, has the architecture of a 23rd century scientist: three parts - fractal geometry, two parts - theory of general relativity, one part - Philip K. Dick. One must step back and stare down the medusa of progress with a mirror. This is Virilio's call for a grey ecology. PAUL VIRILIO is a renowned urbanist, political theorist and critic of the art of technology.Born in Paris in 1932, Virilio is best known for his 'war model' of the growth of the modern city and the evolution of human society. He is also the inventor of the term 'dromology' or the logic of speed. Identified with the phenomenology of Merleau-Ponty, the futurism of Marinetti and technoscientific writings of Einstein, Virilio's intellectual outlook can usefully be compared to contemporary architects, philosophers and cultural critics such as Bernard Tschumi, Gilles Deleuze and Jean Baudrillard. Virilio is the author, among other books of Speed and Politics, The Information Bomb, Open Sky, and most recently, The Original Accident.

To most historians, the first televised presdential debate between the haggard, unshaven Richard Nixon and the clean-cut, handsome John F. Kennedy provides the first example of television, then a new medium, demonstrating its unique power in American politics for the first time and for heralding a shift toward the primacy of the visual in presidential campaigns more generally. Yet, this popular narrative of JFK as the first media-savvy president overlooks the deft, innovative advertising techiniques and canny use of TV airtime adopted by his predecessor, Dwight D. Eisenhower. Liking Ike examines the prominent role that celebrities and advertising agencies played in Dwight Eisenhower's presidency. Guided by Madison Avenue executives and television pioneers, Eisenhower cultivated famous supporters as a way of building the broad-based support that had eluded Republicans for twenty years. It is customary to see the charismatic John F. Kennedy and his Rat Pack entourage as the beginning of presidential glamour in the United States, but from Walt Disney and Irving Berlin to Jimmy Stewart and Helen Hayes, celebrities regularly appeared in Eisenhower's campaigns. Ike's political career was so saturated with celebrity that opponents from the right and left accused him of being a "glamour " candidate. In a series of absorbing chapters covering the major candidates of the era-Eisenhower, Adlai Stevenson, Kennedy, Reagan-David Haven Blake foregrounds the behind-the-scenes operators who worked with the Madison Avenue executives who strategically brought celebrities into the political process. Based on extensive research, the book explores the changing dynamics of celebrity politics as Americans adjusted to the television age. By the mid-1920s, entertainers were routinely drawing publicity to their favorite candidates. But with the rise of television and mass advertising, political advisers began to professionalize the attention celebrities could bring to presidential campaigns. In meetings, memos, and television scripts, they charted a strategy for "leavening " political programming with celebrity interviews, musical performances, and elaborate "television spectaculars " that would surround their candidates with beautiful sets and popular personalities. Commentators worried about the seemingly superficial values that television had introduced to political campaigns, and writers, filmmakers, and fellow politicians criticized the influence of glamour and publicity. But despite these complaints, Eisenhower's legacy would live on in the subsequent careers of John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan-and ultimately, provide the template for the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama, John McCain, and Hillary Clinton.

A welcome addition to Palgrave's Global Media Policy and Business series, Internet Governance and the Global South documents the role of the global south in Internet policymaking and challenges the globalization theories that declared the death of the state in global decision-making. Abu Bhuiyan argues that the global Internet politics is primarily a conflict between the states - the United States of America and the states of the global south - because the former controls Internet policymaking. The states of the global south have been both oppositional and acquiescing to the sponsored policies of the United States on Internet issues such as digital divide, multilingualism, intellectual property rights and cyber security. They do not oppose the neoliberal underpinnings of the policies promoted by the United States, but ask for an international framework to govern the Internet so that they can work as equal partners in setting norms for the global Internet.

The ownership and funding of media organisations inevitably affects what news we receive everyday. But is public or private ownership better? Looking at how news is constructed in different contexts under public and commercial models, this book uses global comparative examples to give a topical insight into the world of broadcasting today.

A powerful, uncompromising explanation of how subtle sources of hatred contained throughout our media and culture have resulted in a tolerance for hate crimes in America. How is hate engendered, and what causes hatred to manifest as criminal behavior? Hate Crime in the Media: A History considers how in America, perceived threats on national, physical, and/or personal space have been created by mediated understandings of different peoples, and describes how these understandings have then played out in hate crimes based on ethnicity, religious identity, or sexual identity. The work reveals the origins of hate in American culture found in the media; political rhetoric; the entertainment industry, including national sports; and the legal system. Each chapter addresses historical questions of representation and documents the response to those considered intruders. The book also examines trends in hate crimes, the resulting changes in our legal code, and the specific victims of hate crimes. Provides readers with an understanding of how deeply embedded in daily cultural practices the roots of hatred are in American culture Spotlights the role of cultural institutions such as the media, political rhetoric, and the entertainment industry in fostering an atmosphere of hate Portrays hate crime as unexceptional in American culture rather than isolated acts of deviant individuals Examines media depictions of those considered "Other" throughout American history, including enemies during war, immigrants, different racial and religious groups, and those whose sexual identities have been deemed "Other"

News media, movies, blogs and video games issue constant invitations to picture war, experience the thrill of combat, and revisit battles past. War, it's often said, sells. But what does it take to sell a war, and to what extent can news media be viewed as disinterested reporters of truth? Lively and highly readable, this book explores how wars have been reported, interpreted and perpetuated from the dawn of the media age to the present digital era. Spanning a broad geographical and historical canvas, Susan L. Carruthers provides a compelling analysis of the forces that shape the production of news and images of war - from state censorship to more subtle forms of military manipulation and popular pressure. This fully revised second edition has been updated to cover modern-day conflict in the post 9/11 epoch, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Rich in historical detail, The Media at War also provides sharp insights into contemporary experience, prompting critical reflection on western society's paradoxical attitudes towards war.

When we work or play through digital technologies - we also live in them. Communities form, conversations and social movements emerge spontaneously and through careful offline planning. While we have used disembodied communication and transportation technologies in the past - and still do - we have never before actually synchronously inhabited these communicative spaces, routes and networks in quite the way we do now. Digital Diasporas engages conversations across a selection of contemporary (gendered) Indian identified networks online: "Desis" creating place through labour and affective network formation in secondlife, Indian (diasporic) women engaged in digital domesticity, to Indian digital feminists engaged in debate and dialogue through Twitter. Through particular conversations and ethnographic journeys and linking back to personal and South Asian histories of Internet mediation, Gajjala and her co-authors reveal how affect and gendered digital labour combine in the formation of global socio-economic environment.

What do people know about the Bible, and how much do they know? The media often discusses the worrying 'decline' in biblical literacy, but what does this really mean, and how can we measure this assumed 'decline'? How can we go about teaching 'biblical literacy', and about teaching teachers how to teach it? Rethinking Biblical Literacy explores the question of biblical literacy, examining the Bible's use, influence and impact in advertising, street art, poetry, popular erotic literature, Irish and UK secondary education, stand-up comedy and The Simpsons TV series to display the different types of literacy and knowledge of the Bible. Katie B. Edwards brings together several specialists in the cultural use, impact and influence of the Bible to examine the contested nature of biblical literacy and to explore the variety of ways of 'knowing' about the Bible. The picture created is one of a broad range and at times surprising depth of knowledge about what remains arguably the most influential collection of texts ever to be published.

"Crisis in the Global Mediasphere" examines the evolution of contemporary global crises as an effect of mediation and cultural change. The book argues that a crisis consciousness has emerged through the interaction of crisis conditions and a more expansive human desire for pleasure.

A new world of religious satire illuminated through the layers of religion and humor that make up the The Simpsons, South Park and Family Guy. Drawing on the worldviews put forth by three wildly popular animated shows - The Simpsons, South Park, and Family Guy- David Feltmate demonstrates how ideas about religion's proper place in American society are communicated through comedy. The book includes discussion of a wide range of American religions, including Protestant and Catholic Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Native American Religions, New Religious Movements, "Spirituality," Hinduism, and Atheism. Along the way, readers are shown that jokes about religion are influential tools for teaching viewers how to interpret and judge religious people and institutions. Feltmate, develops a picture of how each show understands and communicates what constitutes good religious practice as well as which traditions they seek to exclude on the basis of race and ethnicity, stupidity, or danger. From Homer Simpson's spiritual journey during a chili-pepper induced hallucination to South Park's boxing match between Jesus and Satan to Peter Griffin's worship of the Fonz, each show uses humor to convey a broader commentary about the role of religion in public life. Through this examination, an understanding of what it means to each program to be a good religious American becomes clear. Drawn to the Gods is a book that both fans and scholars will enjoy as they expose the significance of religious satire in these iconic television programs.

Adopting a truly global, theoretical and multidisciplinary perspective, Media Pluralism and Diversity intends to advance our understanding of media pluralism across the globe. It compares metrics that have been developed in different parts of the world to assess levels of, or threats to, media pluralism.

New Media, Old Media is a comprehensive anthology of original and classic essays that explore the tensions of old and new in digital culture. Leading international media scholars and cultural theorists interrogate new media like the Internet, digital video, and MP3s against the backdrop of earlier media such as television, film, photography, and print. The essays provide new benchmarks for evaluating all those claims; political, social, ethical, made about the digital age. Committed to historical research and to theoretical innovation, they suggest that in the light of digital programmability, seemingly forgotten moments in the history of the media we glibly call old can be rediscovered and transformed. The many topics explored in provocative volume include websites, webcams, the rise and fall of dotcom mania, Internet journalism, the open source movement, and computer viruses. New Media, Old Media is a foundational text for general readers, students, and scholars of new media across the disciplines. It is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the cultural impact of new media.

Worldwide conflict continues to force the migration of citizens seeking safety, shelter, and stability. This conflict-induced migration has social and economic impacts not only on the individuals and families that are forced to flee but also on the communities and environment. Examining the Social and Economic Impacts of Conflict-Induced Migration is an essential reference source that examines the theoretical and practical basis of induced migration in regions under conflict and the impact of sociology and economy on this type of relocation and how it can be managed for global sustainable peace. Featuring research on topics such as conflict theory, media agenda, and state economics, this book is ideally designed for sociologists, economists, policymakers, government functionaries, peace keepers, non-governmental organizations, academicians, researchers, and students.

The new social media build on and further complicate all of the issues and processes of symbolic interaction. This volume builds on and expands the existing symbolic interactionist perspective to include the study of social interaction made possible by the use of new social media. This special issue demonstrates the interface between willful social interaction and structured technological features - how social media are defined by social interactions, as well as how social interactions are dictated by the use of social media.

Based on original and previously unseen written and sound archives and interviews with former and current radio producers and presenters, "Public Issue Radio" addresses the controversial question of the political leanings of current affairs programmes, and asks if "Analysis" became an early platform for both Thatcherite and Blairite ideas.

Public opinion polls point to a continuing decline in confidence in the Presidency, court system, Congress, the news media, state government, public education, and other key institutions. Moy and Pfau analyze the reasons for this crisis of confidence, with particular attention to the role of the media. Moy and Pfau examine the impact of sociodemographic factors, political expertise, and use of communication media on people's perceptions of confidence in democratic institutions. Their conclusions are based on two years of data collection. In three waves between 1995 and 1997, they conducted a series of content analyses of media depictions of democratic institutions in conjunction with general survey data. The result is one of the most comprehensive examinations ever conducted on the influence of the media on public confidence. It will be of great value to scholars, researchers, students, and professionals in government and the media.

This book deals with the often-neglected link between indigenous languages, media and democracy in Africa. It recognizes that the media plays an amplifying role that is vital to modern-day expression, public participation and democracy but that without the agency to harness media potential, many Africans will be excluded from public discourse.

Visual images are everywhere in international politics. But how are we to understand them? In Sensible Politics, William A. Callahan uses his expertise in theory and filmmaking to explore not only what visuals mean, but also how visuals can viscerally move and connect us in "affective communities of sense." The book's rich analysis of visual images (photographs, film, art) and visual artifacts (maps, veils, walls, gardens, cyberspace) shows how critical scholarship needs to push beyond issues of identity and security to appreciate the creative politics of social-ordering and world-ordering. Here "sensible politics" isn't just sensory, but looks beyond icons and ideology to the affective politics of everyday life. It challenges our Eurocentric understanding of international politics by exploring the meaning and impact of visuals from Asia and the Middle East. Sensible Politics offers a unique approach to politics that allows us to not only think visually, but also feel visually-and creatively act visually for a multisensory appreciation of politics.

Media Institutions and Audiences completes Nick Lacey's trilogy of self-standing texts that give an in-depth introduction to the key concepts of Media Studies at an advanced and university level. The book delivers a range of theories and contemporary case studies in its coverage of media business and the influence of regulation and censorship. The issues surrounding the growing commodification of media texts, and the increasing influence of marketing and public relations, are considered. The major approaches to understanding audiences are also investigated.

With today's digital technology, the image is no longer a stable representation of the world, but a programmable view of a database that is updated in real time. It no longer functions as a political and iconic representation, but plays a vital role in synchronic data-to-data relationships. It is not only part of a program, but it contains its own operating code: the image is a program in itself. Softimage aims to account for that new reality, taking readers on a journey that gradually undoes our unthinking reliance on the apparent solidity of the photographic image and building in its place an original and timely theorization of the digital image in all its complexity, one that promises to spark debate within the evolving fields of image studies and software studies.