Description

McLuhan’s theories are re-emerging in post-modern, cultural/critical media and social theory. Drawing on an earlier radicalism, this book looks at the McLuhan legacy and finds a common foundation between Marx’s dialectics and McLuhan’s communications theory.

Paul Grosswiler examines McLuhan’s work in the light of Jean Baudrillard, Umberto Eco, James Carey, architect Charles Jencks, and critical historian Donald Lowe.

“…a profoundly intelligent and original fusion of McLuhan and Marx…Grosswiler has read everything and missed nothing…With this book McLuhan’s position as an ingenious innovator in critical, cultural and postmodern theory is restored.” James W. Carey, CBS Professor of International Journalism, Columbia University

“In this bold departure from conventional neo-Marxist rejections of McLuhan, Grosswiler demonstrates the relevance of McLuhan’s work for critical thinking about media and cultural change. The book’s provocative thesis … will certainly ignite controversy on all sides of the political and intellectual spectrum.” Liss Jeffrey, Executive Producer, The McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology, University of Toronto

“…makes a compelling argument that McLuhan has a great deal to offer critical communication scholars. This thoughtful book should be read carefully by students of communication everywhere.” Robert McChesney, Associate Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Wisconsin

“Grosswiler has made an important contribution to the ongoing McLuhan renaissance in communications studies … McLuhan strikes many media historians as perverse; this book reminds us why he’s also so damned interesting. It is must reading for anyone interested in the broad contours of communications history.” John Nerone, Professor of Communications, University of Illinois