Capitalizing On Culture

Building on the work of Theodor Adorno and Walter Benjamin, Capitalizing on Culture presents an innovative, accessible, and timely exploration of critical theory in a cultural landscape dominated by capital. Despite the increasing prevalence of commodification as a dominant factor in the production, promotion, and consumption of most forms of mass culture, many in the cultural studies field have failed to engage systematically either with culture as commodity or with critical theory. Shane Gunster corrects that oversight, providing attentive readings of Adorno and Benjamin's work in order to generate a complex, non-reductive theory of human experience that attends to the opportunities and dangers arising from the confluence of culture and economics. Gunster juxtaposes Benjamin's thoughts on memory, experience, and capitalism with Adorno's critique of mass culture and modern aesthetics to illuminate the key position that the commodity form plays in each thinker's work and to invigorate the dialectical complexity their writings acquire when considered together. This blending of perspectives is subsequently used to ground a theoretical interrogation of the comparative failure of cultural studies to engage substantively with the effect of commodification upon cultural practices. As a result, Capitalizing on Culture offers a fresh examination of critical theory that will be valuable to scholars studying the intersection of culture and capitalism.

After two decades of exceptional economic growth and cultural change, Ireland faces the greatest challenge yet: creating a sustainable competitive advantage to guarantee its success in the future. Finbarr Bradley and James Kennelly recommend a renewed sense of national identity as social and cultural capital to maintain and enhance Ireland’s economic development.

What does it mean to turn something into capital? What does considering things as assets entail? What does the prevalence of an investor’s viewpoint require? What is this culture of valuation that asks that we capitalize on everything? How can we make sense of the traits, necessities and upshots of this pervasive cultural condition?This book takes the reader to an ethnographic stroll down the trail of capitalization. Start-up companies, research centers, consulting firms, state enterprises, investment banks, public administrations: the territory can certainly prove strange and disorienting at first sight, with its blurred boundaries between private appropriation and public interest, economic sanity and moral breakdown, the literal and the metaphorical, the practical and the ideological. The traveler certainly requires a resolutely pragmatist attitude, and a taste for the meanders of signification. But in all the sites in which we set foot in this inquiry we recognize a recurring semiotic complex: a scenario of valuation in which things signify by virtue of their capacity to become assets in the eye of an imagined investor.A ground-breaking anthropological investigation on the culture of contemporary capitalism, this work directs attention to the largely unexplored problem of capitalization and offers a critical resource for current debates on neoliberalism and financialization.

Few intellectual figures of the twentieth century dealt with such a vast scope of subjects as Theodor Adorno (1903-1969). His insights, therefore, lend themselves to critical overview as many have cross-disciplinary relevance, appealing to scholars from a variety of backgrounds. Adorno and the Need in Thinking examines questions dealt with in the works of Adorno, offering a glimpse at the development of his complex thought. This collection of essays, though dealing with different topics from section to section, is unified by the idea that, at least in the English-speaking world, there are numerous facets of Adorno's work that have been hitherto neglected in terms of critical scholarship. Adorno and the Need in Thinking addresses these forgotten nuances, whether they apply to questions of politics, language, metaphysics, aesthetics, ecology, or several of these at once. Also included for the first time in English is Adorno's important early essay, "Theses on the Language of the Philosopher." At a time when Adorno scholarship is on the rise, this collection sheds light on new areas of critical research, adding another dimension to the existing literature on this most important intellectual.

The phenomenon of urban regeneration has become increasingly prominent on government agendas in recent years. Using case studies of cultural regeneration planning and management from Europe, North and South America, this book explores the role of culture and tourism in urban transformation. Themes covered include; cultural planning for regeneration, cultural regeneration policies and politics, integrated and sustainable regeneration strategies, community-orientated regeneration, ethnoscapes and cultural diversity in regeneration, the cultural regeneration of waterfronts and dock cities, creativity in regeneration, arts-led regeneration, and the role of sports and events in regeneration.

"Chris Barker is a trustworthy field guide for those new to cultural studies." - Ben Highmore, University of Sussex "Remarkable in the breadth of its coverage, it is written with passion and insight. It will be warmly welcomed by students interested in how theory can help us to think through the complexities of real-world issues." - Stuart Allan, Bournemouth University "Has been for many years one of the best guides to and overviews of a broad range of the issues and theories that constitute cultural studies... For those who want to be prepped to play the game of cultural studies, this is the book to read." - Douglas Kellner, UCLA Building upon the scope and authority of previous editions this book represents a definitive benchmark in understanding and applying the foundations of cultural studies. it provides those new to the field with an authoritative introduction to everything they need to know. An indispensible resource for any student or lecturer it is packed with concise, accessible definitions, clear chapter summaries, inspiring student activities, biographical snapshots of key figures and a full glossary. With updates to every chapter and many more practical examples, this new edition includes: New material on social media, subcultures and climate change Improved coverage of digital cultures, digital media, digital games and the virtual city A comprehensive companion website providing student exercises, global case-studies, essay questions and links to relevant SAGE journal articles. Visit www.sagepub.co.uk/barker This is the perfect book for any student needing a vibrant, comprehensive introduction to cultural studies. An essential companion for all undergraduate students embarking on a cultural studies course or module.

Breaking new ground in studies of business involvement in schooling, Capitalizing on Disaster dissects the most powerful educational reforms and highlights their relationship to the rise of powerful think tanks and business groups. Over the past several decades, there has been a strong movement to privatize public schooling through business ventures. At the beginning of the millennium, this privatization project looked moribund as both the Edison Schools and Knowledge Universe foundered. Nonetheless, privatization is back. The new face of educational privatization replaces public schooling with EMOs, vouchers, and charter schools at an alarming rate. In both disaster and nondisaster areas, officials designate schools as failed in order to justify replacement with new, unproven models. Saltman examines how privatization policies such as No Child Left Behind are designed to deregulate schools, favoring business while undermining public oversight. Examining current policies in New Orleans, Chicago, and Iraq, Capitalizing on Disaster shows how the struggle for public schooling is essential to the struggle for a truly democratic society.