The term 'culture industry' has been a key reference point in the
critical literature on culture and the media ever since the classic
chapter in Horkheimer and Adorno's Dialectic of Enlightenment, yet until
now there has been little attempt to update the analysis for the present
day. In this innovative new book, Heinz Steinert applies the concept of
culture industry to contemporary cultural forms and demonstrates its
relevance for the twenty-first century.
Unravelling Horkheimer and Adorno's complex prose, Steinert sets out to
explain precisely what is meant by the term 'culture industry'. Writing
in a clear and engaging style, he provides an accessible exposition of
the key themes and concepts. This close textual analysis is combined
with wide-ranging case studies showing how the concept of culture
industry can be used to approach more recent cultural phenomena.
Examining contemporary film, pop music and art, as well as dating
agencies and the paparazzi, Steinert reveals the ways in which culture
is commodified today.
This is an original book that provides a fresh critical perspective on
culture and the media. It will be essential reading for students of
media and cultural studies, sociology and of the humanities in general.
