Violent acts, images and words are becoming commonplace in our culture, capable of both commanding attention and engendering disgust. This thought-provoking book explores the voice of rage - in the media, popular culture, political rhetoric and in the more general public sphere. Adopting both ethnographic and theoretical perspectives, the contributors address the ways in which hate is rationalized, invoked, expressed and institutionalized, illustrating the debate with current social issues - including abortion and gay rights - which have incited hatred and polarized positions.

Drawing on the insights of a distinguished group of international scholars from a variety of disciplines, Soundbite Culture combines theory with case analysis to describe and account for the environment within which discourse has declined, and what has replaced it and why. The authors explore the implications of their premise by investigating various media, their methods, and their social, cultural and political implications. Topics include targeted direct mail campaigns, polling, infomercials, Internet identities, radio talk shows, and film depictions.