Prof. Greg Elmer publishes new book on media scarcity
In a landscape where media saturation is often assumed to be the norm, Prof. Greg Elmer and co-author Stephen J. Neville offer a compelling counter-narrative with their new book, "The Politics of Media Scarcity." (external link, opens in new window) Challenging the prevalent belief in media abundance, their work explores the stark reality of media scarcity affecting various individuals, communities, and nations.
Elmer and Neville's book delves into the lives of those who live in the shadows of the media-rich world, including guerrilla militants, incarcerated Indigenous peoples, and residents of the secretive realms of the Cold War era such as Soviet "closed" cities and Canadian nuclear bunkers. It examines how these media-scarce groups engage with the broader media-saturated culture, finding their voice and narrating their existence despite limitations, surveillance, or outright censorship.
By leveraging a series of poignant case studies, "The Politics of Media Scarcity" peels back the layers of media influence, revealing how scarcity can be both a suppressive force and a potent tool for political emancipation. The authors weave together various narratives from art projects and diverse cultural backgrounds, highlighting the struggle and negotiation for a place in a world dominated by media abundance.
This insightful book is poised to become an essential resource for students and scholars in media and politics, art and politics, visual studies, surveillance studies, and communication studies, offering a fresh perspective on the media's role in shaping social identities, political participation, and economic security.
Endorsed by respected academics, such as Anne Kaun of Södertörn University and Natalie Fenton of Goldsmiths College, the publication has received accolades for its engaging analysis and original insights. Kaun praises the book for its exploration of media scarcity as a path to emancipation in a media-abundant world, while Fenton commends it for addressing the often-overlooked effects of media scarcity on marginalization and social justice.
As "The Politics of Media Scarcity" hits the shelves, it calls on readers to reconsider the implications of a world divided by the unequal distribution of media resources and to question how communities navigate this landscape to carve out a space for their voices and stories.
