The Age of Anxiety : Conspiracy Theory and the Human Sciences

ISBN-13: 9780631231684 / Angielski / Miękka / 2001 / 222 str.

Jane Parish; Martin Parker

Opis

From the assassination of JFK in November 1963 to Watergate and the death of Diana, theories about conspiracies beset popular culture. Television programmes about mysteries and 'inexplicable' events command peak time viewing schedules, reinterpreting 'old' conspiracy theories with new evidence. This book differentiates between conspiracy theory and theories about conspiracies.

Spis treści

1. The Age of Anxiety: Jane Parish (School of Social Relations, Keele University).

2. Iloveyou: Viruses, Paranoia and the Environment of Risk: Peter Knight (Staffordshire University).

3. The Obscure Politics of Conspiracy Theory: Mark Featherstone (Staffordshire University).

4. Conjuring Order: the new world order and conspiracy theories of globalization: Alisdair Spark (King Alfred′s College, Winchester, UK).

5. Militias, the Patriot Movement, and the Internet: Nigel Woodcock (Manchester University).

6. Taking conspiracy seriously: fantastic narratives and Mr Grey the Pan–Afrikanist on Monserrat: Jonathan Skinner (University of Abertay, Dundee).

7. Tout est Lie: The Front National and Media Conspiracy Theories: Adrian Quinn (Liverpool John Moores University).

8. The Popular Culture of Conspiracy/The Conspiracy of Popular Culture: David Bell & Lee–Jane Bennion–Nixon (Staffordshire University).

9. Conspiracy, corporate culture and criticism: Warren Smith (University of Leicester).

10. Conspiracy, What Conspiracy? Social Science, Funding, and the Politics of Accusation: Simon Lilley (Keele University).

11. Human science as conspiracy theory: Martin Parker (Keele University).

Notes on contributors.

Index.

O autorze

Jane Parish is an anthropologist in the School of Social Relations at Keele University, UK. Her main interest is in West African witchcraft, especially among the Akan, Ghana.

Martin Parker is Reader in Social and Organisation Theory in the Department of Management, Keele University. He has written and edited several books on culture, ethics and poststructuralism with particular reference to organisations.

Blurb

Is this an age of conspiracies, or generalized anxiety and a search for hidden explanations? How can the social sciences understand and explain the contemporary popularity of conspiracy theories? This provocative and unique collection draws together academics from politics, media studies, anthropology, sociology, management and cultural studies to address a wide variety of topics related to conspiracy theory and practice. With chapters on computer viruses, the politics of the far right in France and militias in the USA, the X–Files, anti–corporate protest and more, it will be essential reading for anyone interested in contemporary culture.