Political Science Commons^™

Baudrillard (1929-2007) & Mao: A History Of Normal Violence, Charles Lemert

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

Media Spectacle And The "Massacre At Virginia Tech", Douglas Kellner

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

Satire, Guns, And Humans: Lessons From The Nacirema, Steve Kroll-Smith, Gwen Hunnicutt

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

A Hokies' Lament: American Social Psychosis And The Virginia Tech Killings, Stephen Pfohl

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

All The Rage: Digital Bodies And Deadly Play In The Age Of The Suicide Bomber, Carolyn Guertin

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

Mediated Ritual On Academic Ground, Neal King

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

To: Multiple Recipients: "There Is A Gunman On Campus...", Timothy W. Luke

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

Henry David Thoreau: The Beginnings Of Fast Capitalism, Charles Lemert

Fast Capitalism

Author Biography

Charles Lemert, Wesley University Emeritus Professor of Sociology at Wesleyan University

Risk, Return To Industry, And The Future Of Democracy, Lukas Szrot

Fast Capitalism

Reflecting on 2020, I consider the possibility of the collapse of the United States, as well as the ways in which it has fallen short of representative and democratic promise. I argue that the spread of conspiratorial reason is symptomatic of the mistrust that has arisen from these failures. Drawing on naturalist, critical theory, and sociology of knowledge accounts of conspiratorial reason, I argue that such thinking is interest-bound, weaponizing mistrust, and is broadly appealing but ultimately disempowering, serving the ends of failed praxis and reification of power. I examine two possible sources of institutionalized mistrust: the "culture wars" thesis …

The Plague Of White Supremacy In The Age Of Fascist Politics, Henry Giroux

Fast Capitalism

The toxic thrust of white supremacy runs through American culture like an electric current. Without apology,Jim Crow is back suffocating American society in a wave of voter suppression laws, ongoing attempts by rightwing politicians to implement a form of apartheid pedagogy, and the resurgence of a right-wing cultural politics organized around the legacy of white nationalism and white supremacy. The emergence of white supremacy to the centers of power is also evident in the reign of police violence against Black people that came into full view with the murder of George Floyd by a white police officer and the ensuring …

Make Women Great Again: Women, Misogyny And Anti-Capitalism On The Right, Catherine Tebaldi

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

A Prelude To Insurrection: How A 4chan Refrain Anticipated The Capitol Riot, Marc Tuters

Fast Capitalism

This paper looks at how vernacular practices associated with fringe web communities seem to have found their way into reactionary American politics in recent years. Combining concepts from political communication (Bennett and Segerberg 2013) and from assemblage theory (Samson 2020), the paper looks at how key elements of the Capitol insurrection narrative initially emerged on 4chan as meme about a second civil war (called "the Boogaloo"), then spreading to social media and amplified by President Trump. In an effort to make sense of this relationship between the fringe the mainstream, the paper offers both original empirical analysis as well as …

Beyond Prepper Culture As Right-Wing Extremism: Selling Preparedness To Everyday Consumers As How To Survive The End Of The World On A Budget, Timothy W. Luke

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

Homoterrorism: Definition, Application, Subversion, Angelos Bollas

Fast Capitalism

On Friday, September 21, 2018, news reports on Greek corporate media announced the death of a man who had allegedly attempted to rob a jewellery store. The media announcement was accompanied by video footage in which two civilians were shown violently attacking the alleged thief while the latter was attempting to escape the jewellery store. A little later, the alleged thief was announced dead. This is the case of Zak Kostopoulos who was lynched in his attempt to escape a jewellery shop where he had found shelter from a threat that, to this day, remains unknown. Zak was lynched literally …

The Rise Of The Robots: Technocapitalism And The Policing Of Race, Constantine Gidaris

Fast Capitalism

This article critically engages with the emergence of police robots in the United States, arguing that their inevitable foray into everyday policing will fuel existing issues of racial discrimination. Building on Luis Suarez-Villa's (2009) conceptualization of technocapitalism, I situate police robots within a framework of social domination that thrives not only on its connections to corporatism and militarism, but also on technocapitalist conditions that invariably exacerbate the oppressive dynamics of racist and discriminatory policing. Although police robots will make police work safer for officers (Sharkey 2008), I contend that they will be used by the police as weaponized machines of …

Precarious Labor In Covid Times: The Case Of Musicians, David M. Arditi

Fast Capitalism

The coronavirus pandemic changed the way we think about work, the economy, and our everyday lives as governments shutdown all but the most essential public spaces. Workers who earn a living through precarious employment have faced unique barriers to securing wages. The impact of the pandemic shutdown was especially devastating on musicians' lives and many supporting workers in the entertainment industry. The structural insecurity of gig work became amplified as venues were forced to stop performances for a year or more. In this paper, I argue the current phase of capitalism that depends on precarious labor and unending consumption destroys …

The Academic Precariat Post-Covid-19, Aidan Cornelius-Bell, Piper A. Bell

Fast Capitalism

The nature of work has changed, in accelerated late-capitalism and as a result of the COVID-19 global health crisis. For academics, casualised and precarious, the sweeping institutional changes of contemporary neoliberal universities, the sharp rise in managerialism, and the political power plays of universities have created further untenable spaces for work and study. In this article we explore the relationship between doctoral studies, precarious academic employment, the pandemic, and the disproportionate effects of the changes in higher education on women. Through exploration of personal experience, as precarious academic workers, researchers, and doctoral students, we provide parallels to research literature across …

Margaret Fuller: Feminist Theory Years Ahead Of Its Time, Charles Lemert

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

Modularity, Labor, And Ideology In Edtech Platforms, Mario Khreiche

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

Learning Management Systems As Anti-Convivial Tools, Edward Maclin

Fast Capitalism

The last two decades have seen an increase in the number of online university classes operating under any of several commercial Learning Management Systems (LMS). Online classes expanded dramatically in the US during 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students, faculty, and administrators frequently assume that LMSs are epistemologically neutral. These LMSs are designed to do exactly what they say on the tin: they are systems for managing learning. At the same time, they function based on implicit understandings of "learning," "management," and "systems" that privilege some knowledges, interactions, and discourses while de-emphasizing others. In this paper I …

Fast "Truths" And Slow Knowledge; Oracular Answers And Wikipedia's Epistemology, Zachary Mcdowell, Matthew Vetter

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

Introduction To Special Section: Academic Automation, Machine Un/Learning And Artificial Non/Intelligences, Jeremy Hunsinger

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

Full Issue, Fast Capitalism Editorial Team

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

The Claustropolitan Society: A Critical Perspective On The Impact Of Digital Technologies And The Lockdown Imaginary, Tara Brabazon, Stefan Lawrence

Fast Capitalism

The imperative of this article is to develop the trope of the ‘lockdown imaginary.’ To enact this project, a diverse array of theories and theorist are summoned, including the tropes and trajectories from Jean Baudrillard, Benedict Anderson, and Steve Redhead. This – seemingly – odd intellectual combination is both timely and appropriate. It is necessary – as with the Matryoshka Dolls – to commence with a theorization of hyperreality, then we crack open the concept to reveal theories of the imagined and imagining, concluding with the smallest and most brutalizing theoretical Dolls: claustropolitanism and foreclosure. From here, a (post) pandemic …

Fediverse’S Evolution From The Cultural-Historical Activity Theory, José Manuel Meza-Cano, Edith González-Santiago

Fast Capitalism

This paper begins by mentioning some problems we found in social networks belonging to corporations such as Facebook and Twitter, emphasizing the inclusion of algorithmic timelines, the verticality of decisions that respond to market logic, and the privacy of users’ data. This research gives rise to presenting open-source social networks as a democratic and safer alternative for their users. These social networks shape the Fediverse, the result of the union of the words Federation- Universe, and whose history and evolution we describe. We expose the main postulates of the Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) for using this theory to conduct the …

Roots And Routes: Tracing Identity Through The Life Of One Person, Daniel Rivard

Opinion Matters: Student Analyses of World News

This op-ed highlights the differences between ethnic, national, and collective identity through the story of a first-generation Lithuanian Immigrant. It discusses how ethnic identity remains salient even when national identity changes or deteriorates, exploring how one person’s decisions can seriously affect their family's future culture and identities.

Participatory Budgeting And Electoral Outcomes In North American Cities, Gabriela Raluca Pavel

Dissertations

The dissatisfaction with democratic processes and the low participation rates we see trending in cities around the world, have inspired practitioners to experiment with new democratic practices. Scholars of participatory democracy have argued that when people participate in one democratic activity, they are more likely to engage in other activities. Therefore, this project clarifies the expectations set for a specific type of process, called Participatory Budgeting (PB). The two questions I address in this project look at the relationship between PB and voter turnout in local elections, and PB and incumbency retention rates for those who implement the process in …

Oer Accessible Syllabus For Political Science 1100: Intro To U.S. Government, Carmen Melillo

Open Educational Resources

This is a sample OER accessible syllabus intended to create a cost-free Introductory level college course in Political Science and American Government.

Grassroots Governance And Resilience: The Role Of Barangay Disaster Communication Amid Political Uncertainty, Karl Lenin Calaramo Benigno, Elsie Pilar, Yolanda Sabado-Lao

Jurnal Wacana Politik

This study examines the role of barangay-level communication in disaster preparedness and response amid political uncertainty, focusing on Ilocos Norte, Philippines. Specifically, it investigates how comprehension of disaster warnings and COVID-19-related terms affects citizens’ compliance, and how demographic and barangay-related factors moderate this relationship. A mixed-methods approach was employed, involving surveys of 44 respondents (household heads, barangay officials, and Sangguniang Kabataan officers) and key informant interviews to document communication practices, sources of information, and community trust. Statistical analysis revealed a strong positive correlation (r = 0.843, p < 0.001) between comprehension and compliance, highlighting the critical role of understanding in disaster response. Findings also show that traditional communication channels, such as barangay announcements and personal networks, remain central, while political uncertainty can indirectly undermine trust and affect message adherence. Youth participation via SK initiatives contributes to information dissemination but requires enhanced resources and training. This study contributes novel insights by integrating statistical evidence, qualitative analysis, and political context to explain the dynamics of grassroots disaster communication. Policy recommendations include capacity-building, hybrid communication strategies, participatory governance, youth engagement, and integration of political risk into preparedness planning, aimed at enhancing resilience and adaptive capacity in local communities.

The Effect Of Billboard Content On The Electability Of Female Mayoral Candidates In Kendari City In 2024, Sirajuddin Sirajuddin, Dewi Anggraini, Nur Atnan, Sitti Harnia

Jurnal Wacana Politik

This study aims to analyze the effect of billboard content on the electability of female mayoral candidates in the 2024 Kendari City Regional Head Elections (Pilkada). The main issue underlying this study is the fact that every Pilkada in Kendari City always features female candidates, but they repeatedly experience defeat despite conducting political campaigns through various outdoor media, including billboards. The method used is a descriptive quantitative approach with simple random sampling technique and a total of 123 respondents. The independent variable in this study is billboard content, while the dependent variable is candidate electability. Data were collected through a …