Crisis And Critique: A Brief History Of Media Participation In Times Of Crisis Crisis & Critique

Throughout history, innovations in media have had a profound impact on protest and dissent. But while these recent developments in social media have been the subject of intense scholarly attention, there has been little consideration of the wider historical role of media technologies in protest. Drawing on the work of key theorists such as Walter Benjamin and Raymond Williams, Crisis and Critique provides a historical analysis of media practices within the context of major economic crises. Through richly detailed case studies of the movements which emerged during three different economic crises – the unemployed workers' movement of the Great Depression, the rent strike movement of the early 1970s and the Occupy Wall Street protests which followed the recession of 2007 – Kaun provides an in-depth analysis of the cultural, economic and social consequences of media technologies, and their role in shaping and facilitating resistance to capitalism. Innovations In Media Inevitably Have A Profound Impact On Methods And Forms Of Protest. Drawing On The Work Of Key Theorists Such As Walter Benjamin And Raymond Williams, Crisis And Critique Looks Specifically At Changes In Media Practices Within The Context Of Major Historic Economic Crises. Anne Kaun Uses Richly Detailed Case Studies From Three Different Economic Crises-- The Unemployed Workers’ Movement During The Great Depression, The Rent Strike Movement Of The Early 1970s, And The Occupy Wall Street Protests Following The Recession Of 2008-- In Order To Provide An In-depth Analysis Of The Cultural, Economic, And Social Consequences Of Media Technologies And Their Role In Shaping Resistance To Capitalism. At A Time When Scholars And Commentators Are Increasingly Recognizing The Immense Impact Of Media And Communications Technology On Society, Kaun Provides A Necessary Historical Contextualization Of This Crucial Dynamic, While Offering The First Book To Explicitly Examine The Relationship Between Media Studies And Economic Activism. Introduction. Protest And The Media -- Economic Crises And Protest Movements -- Protest Times -- Protest Spaces -- Protest Speeds -- Protest Technologies -- Crisis And Critique. Crisis : Capitalism In A Permanent State Of Exception? Critique : Filling The Void? -- Protest Movements' Media Practices -- An Archaeological Approach To Media Practices -- Archiving Critique : Archiving Protest Movements? -- Overview Materials -- Conclusion : Critical Junctures As Histories Of Media Participation -- Protest Times : The Temporality Of Protest Media Practices. Mechanical Speed : Unemployed Workers' Movements -- Perpetual Flow : Tenants' Movement -- Perpetual Flow Of The 1970s Television -- Digital Immediacy : The Occupy Wall Street Movement -- Conclusion : Digital Immediacy In The Age Of Social Media -- Protest Spaces : The Production Of Space In Events Of Contention. The National Hunger March Of 1931 -- Housing Crimes Trial, 6 December 1970 -- The Ows March On Brooklyn Bridge, 1 October 2011 -- From Space Bias To Hyper-space Bias -- Protest Speeds : Resynchronizing Fast Capitalism. The Speed Of Fast Capitalism -- Desynchronization -- Protest Movements' Re-synchronization : Adaptation, Abstention, Attack And Alternatives -- Conclusion : The Speed Of Quadruple A -- Conclusion. Protest Technologies : Pessimism Of The Intellect, Optimism Of The Will. Historical Trajectories : Media Regimes Of Time And Space -- Notes On Technological Determinism -- Futures Of Protest Media. Anne Kaun. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 107-122) And Index. Front Cover 1 About the Author 3 Title Page 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Preface 8 Introduction Protest and the Media 12 Economic Crises and Protest Movements 15 Protest Times 22 Protest Spaces 23 Protest Speeds 24 Protest Technologies 25 1. Crisis and Critique 28 Crisis: Capitalism in a Permanent State of Exception? 30 Critique: Filling the Void? 36 Protest Movements’ Media Practices 38 An Archaeological Approach to Media Practices 41 Archiving Critique: Archiving Protest Movements? 43 Overview Materials 46 Conclusion: Critical Junctures as Histories of Media Participation 47 2. Protest Times: The Temporality of Protest Media Practices 48 Mechanical Speed: Unemployed Workers’ Movements 50 Perpetual Flow: Tenants’ Movement 56 Perpetual Flow of the 1970s Television 61 Digital Immediacy: The Occupy Wall Street Movement 62 Conclusion: Digital Immediacy in the Age of Social Media 66 3. Protest Spaces: The Production of Space in Events of Contention 70 The National Hunger March of 1931 72 Housing Crimes Trial, 6 December 1970 76 The Ows March on Brooklyn Bridge, 1 October 2011 80 From Space Bias to Hyper-Space Bias 83 Conclusion 86 4. Protest Speeds: Resynchronizing Fast Capitalism 90 The Speed of Fast Capitalism 91 Desynchronization 92 Protest Movements’ Re-Synchronization: Adaptation, Abstention, Attack and Alternatives 95 Conclusion: The Speed of Quadruple A 105 Conclusion. Protest Technologies: Pessimism of the Intellect, Optimism of the Will 108 Historical Trajectories: Media Regimes of Time and Space 109 Notes on Technological Determinism 113 Futures of Protest Media 115 Collections and Materials 118 References 120 Index 134 Back Cover 143 Anne Kaun provides a historical exploration of the role of media in shaping social movements and resistance to capitalism. Innovations in media inevitably have a profound impact on methods and forms of protest. Drawing on the work of key theorists such as Walter Benjamin and Raymond Williams, Crisis and Critique looks specifically at changes in media practices within the context of major historic economic crises. Anne Kaun uses richly detailed case studies from three different economic crises-the unemployed workers' movement during the Great Depression, the rent strike movement of the early 1970s, and the Occupy Wall Street protests following the recession of 2008-in order to provide an in-depth analysis of the cultural, economic, and social consequences of media technologies and their role in shaping resistance to capitalism. At a time when scholars and commentators are increasingly recognizing the immense impact of media and communications technology on society, Kaun provides a necessary historical contextualization of this crucial dynamic, while offering the first book to explicitly examine the relationship between media studies and economic activism