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Pavel Rodkin. The Media and Society. Three Attempts to Open the Subject of Power: Critical Essay

The Media and Society. Three Attempts to Open the Subject of Power

Rodkin, P. (2016). The Media and Society. Three Attempts to Open the Subject of Power: Critical Essay. Moscow: Sovpadenie. 72 p. (In Russ.). [Rod'kin, P. (2016). Media i socium. Tri popytki vskryt' sub"ekt vlasti: Kriticheskij ocherk. Moskva: Sovpadenie.].

The study examines the phenomenon of modern Internet communications as a tool of power (and control). This problem is a matter of great scientific debate and relevant to the understanding of such phenomena as capitalism, power, information society, Internet, new media etc. the Author traces the empirical material, the formation of a new reality — the attitude of power and control in the information society.

Language: Russian

Design: Pavel Rodkin

Paperback: 72 pages

Size: 148x210 mm.

ISBN 9785903060368

© Rodkin, P., 2016

© Publishing house "Sovpadenie", 2016

Contents

Redactor's Foreword

Power and governance in information capitalism

Attempt #1: Monitor democracy

Attempt #2: Changing hierarchical communication models

Attempt #3: Virtual classroom and virtual political economy

Instead of a conclusion

Bibliography

Reviews

The Media and Society. Three Attempts to Open the Subject of Power

The book "Media and Society. Three Attempts to Uncover the Subject of Power" talks about a critical analysis of the phenomenon of modern Internet communications as an instrument of power (management and control). This problem is the subject of extensive scientific discussion and is relevant for understanding such phenomena as: capitalism, power, information society, the Internet, new media, etc.

The formulation of the question begins with the very title of the critical essay offered to our attention. "An attempt to reveal the subject of power", carried out three times, suggests that power in a symbolic society needs to be sought, and this in itself is surprising in relation to power. After all, power is the main social relation that binds society in itself, the basis of all forms of its existence and expression, is expressed in voluntary obedience to an order, a word. The voluntariness of submission expresses the individual's consciousness of the dependence of his life on a fundamentally collective way of existence and reproduction of the human race. The radical utopia of a controlled society is at the same time the dream of anarchists about the abolition of all power, about completely controlled chaos, about a completely invisible social subject. However, it is hardly achievable. As long as there is society, people, power is also needed. The transition to total control without power presupposes a transition from an order to a program that a completely dehumanized individual no longer perceives and does not realize, but in fact executes, the moment of consciousness must be completely eliminated.

The author traces on empirical material the formation of a new reality — the relationship of power and control in the information society.

Critical essay "Media and Society. Three attempts to reveal the subject of power" by P. Rodkin is an attempt to analyze the existing system of power relations in the context of the information society. The author does not claim to be a comprehensive theoretical analysis, but rather outlines the boundaries of the problem field for future media research. ... It is impossible not to agree with the author that in order to understand the functioning of modern mass media, it is necessary to take into account the subject of power. However, the prospect of considering new media as an instrument of oppression or liberation in a research context is very limited today.

Read the review (In Russ): Power as a key category for the development of the theory of mass communication. Review of Rodkin P. "Media and Society. Three attempts to reveal the subject of power". M., 2016, 72 p. Communications. Media. Design. No. 4, Vol. 1, 2016.

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