Democracy and Media Decadence

Examines the role of the media in shaping and representing political life, arguing that 'media decadence' is harmful for democracy.

John Keane (Author)

9781107041776, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 31 October 2013

261 pages, 16 b/w illus.
23.4 x 15.7 x 1.6 cm, 0.55 kg

'John Keane doesn't answer all your questions about the new media and democracy - but he makes it impossible for you to credit those who pretend to. In energetic, sometimes gripping, prose he offers indispensable conceptual tools (particularly 'monitory democracy') for a fresh look at where democracy stands in an age of communicative abundance teetering on the edge of communicative decay. A brilliant work!' Michael Schudson, Columbia Journalism School

We live in a revolutionary age of communicative abundance in which many media innovations - from satellite broadcasting to smart glasses and electronic books - spawn great fascination mixed with excitement. In the field of politics, hopeful talk of digital democracy, cybercitizens and e-government has been flourishing. This book admits the many thrilling ways that communicative abundance is fundamentally altering the contours of our lives and of our politics, often for the better. But it asks whether too little attention has been paid to the troubling counter-trends, the decadent media developments that encourage public silence and concentrations of unlimited power, so weakening the spirit and substance of democracy. Exploring examples of clever government surveillance, market censorship, spin tactics and back-channel public relations, John Keane seeks to understand and explain these trends, and how best to deal with them. Tackling some tough but big and fateful questions, Keane argues that 'media decadence' is deeply harmful for public life.

1. Communicative abundance
2. Monitory democracy
3. Media decadence
4. Democracy's opponents
5. Why freedom of public communication?

Subject Areas: Political structures: democracy [JPHV], Comparative politics [JPB], Politics & government [JP], Sociology [JHB], Media studies [JFD]