Resisting Post-Truth Society: Political Humans

This book explores the crisis of democracy and the rise of populist and authoritarian politics in the West. With attention to the Brexit referendum in the UK and the election of President Trump in the US - events that reflected wider movements across the world the book traces shifting resistance to globalisation and globalised media in increasingly polarised societies.

Thinking across disciplinary boundaries the text explores possibilities that exist for resisting a post-truth politics framed in patriarchal, racist and homophobic terms, that challenges traditional media as the voice piece of a globalised liberal elite and seeks to mobilise working class uncertainties in a globalised economy towards white nationalist politics. Drawing on notions of patriarchal white colonising masculinities the text show how issues of gender, race and sexualities are central to the culture wars being framed.

Examining the role of social media in increasingly polarised societies as they respond to multiple crises - whether COVID-19, mass migrations, growing inequalities or an intensifying climate emergency, Resisting Post-Truth Society, will appeal to scholars of sociology, philosophy, politics, media and communications and gender studies with interests in populist movements, race and ethnicity and the ethical and political challenges presented by an apparent shift towards post-truth politics.

Victor Jeleniewski Seidler in Professor Emeritus of Social Theory in the Department of Sociology, Goldsmiths University of London. He has written widely across the boundaries of social theory, ethics and philosophy, and gender, with a particular interest in the critical studies of men and masculinities. His books include Transforming Masculinities: Men, Cultures, Bodies, Sex and Love (2006), Urban Fears and Global Terrors: Citizenship, Multiculture and Belongings after 7/7 (2007), Making Sense of Brexit: Democracy, Europe and Uncertain Futures (2018) and Ethical Humans: Life, Love, Labour, Learning and Loss (2022) and Covid-19 and Global Inequalities: Vulnerable Humans (2024).