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In this timely book, critical theorist Christian Fuchs asks: What is nationalism and what is the role of social media in the communication of nationalist ideology?
Advancing an applied Marxist theory of nationalism, Fuchs explores nationalist discourse in the world of contemporary digital capitalism that is shaped by social media, big data, fake news, targeted advertising, bots, algorithmic politics, and a high-speed online attention economy. Through two case studies of the German and Austrian 2017 federal elections, the book goes on to develop a critical theory of nationalism that is grounded in the works of Karl Marx, Rosa Luxemburg, and Eric J. Hobsbawm.
Advanced students and scholars of Marxism, nationalism, media, and politics won't want to miss Fuchs' latest in-depth study of social media and politics that uncovers the causes, structures, and consequences of nationalism in the age of social media and fake news.
List of contents
1. Introduction
Part 1. Foundations of a Marxist Theory of Nationalism 2. Bourgeois Theories of Nationalism 3. Marx's Concept of Nationalism 4. Otto Bauer's and Rosa Luxemburg's Opposing Theories of the Nation and Nationalism 5. Contemporary Marxist Theories of Nationalism
Part 2. Nationalism on Social Media 6. German Nationalism on Social Media in the 2017 Elections to the Bundestag 7. Online Nationalism and Social Media-Authoritarianism in the Context of the ÖVP/FPÖ-Government in Austria 8. Conclusion: A Society of the Commons Beyond Authoritarianism and Nationalism
About the author
Christian Fuchs is a professor of media and communication studies and a critical theorist of communication and society. He is co-editor of the journal
tripleC: Communication, Capitalism & Critique (www.triple-c.at) and author of many books, including
Social Media: A Critical Introduction,
Digital Demagogue: Authoritarian Capitalism in the Age of Trump and Twitter,
Digital Labour and Karl Marx, and
Internet and Society: Social Theory in the Information Age.
Summary
In this timely book, critical theorist Christian Fuchs asks: What is nationalism and what is the role of social media in the communication of nationalist ideology?
