The Politics of Misinformation

by Murray Edelman

Overview

The Politics of Misinformation is an examination of how concentrations of social and economic power result in public languages of politics that are necessarily image-based, vague, and misleading in their denial of undemocratic tendencies. As a result, public discourses of democracy tend to be populistic, emotional, and likely to emphasize images of progress rather than structural inequalities in their formulations of public problems. In short, neither typical problem definitions nor solutions invite critical popular understanding or involvement in democratic politics.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521801171
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	04/16/2001
Series:	Communication, Society and Politics
Pages:	152
Product dimensions:	6.26(w) x 9.33(h) x 0.67(d)

Table of Contents

1. Images; 2. Social change; 3. Authority; 4. Public opinion; 5. Institutions; 6. Language; 7. Science; 8. Crime as an example.

Editorial Reviews

"Those deeply pessimistic about contemporary American politics will find great comfort in this volume." Choice

From the Publisher