Humanitarianism and Modern Culture (Essays on Human Rights)

It seems paradoxical that in the West the predominant mode of expressing concern about suffering in the Third World comes through participation in various forms of popular culture—such as buying tickets to a rock concert like Live Aid in 1985—rather than through political action based on expert knowledge. Keith Tester’s aim in this book is to explore the phenomenon of what he calls “commonsense humanitarianism,” the reasons for its hegemony as the principal way for people in the West to relate to distant suffering, and its ramifications for our moral and social lives. As a remnant of the West’s past imperial legacy, this phenomenon is most clearly manifested in humanitarian activities directed at Africa, and that continent is the geographical focus of this critical sociology of humanitarianism, which places the role of the media at the center of its analysis.

Politics & Social Sciences

Tester, Keith

Social Sciences

Penn State University Press

It seems paradoxical that in the West the predominant mode of expressing concern about suffering in the Third World comes through participation in various forms of popular culture—such as buying tickets to a rock concert like Live Aid in 1985—rather than through political action based on expert knowledge. Keith Tester’s aim in this book is to explore the phenomenon of what he calls “commonsense humanitarianism,” the reasons for its hegemony as the principal way for people in the West to relate to distant suffering, and its ramifications for our moral and social lives. As a remnant of the West’s past imperial legacy, this phenomenon is most clearly manifested in humanitarian activities directed at Africa, and that continent is the geographical focus of this critical sociology of humanitarianism, which places the role of the media at the center of its analysis.

In this timely analysis, Tester (social and historical studies, U. of Portsmith) compares the views of social thinkers and journalists to provide parameters for examining compassion fatigue, whereby people get habituated to dreadful events or suffering through repeated exposure. He contrasts "bystander's journalism" with the "journalism of attachment,"and considers ways in which media may move or manipulate the audience to either moral action such as giving to relief agencies or to "naturalization" of events. Glossary terms appear in bold in the text. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Compassion, Morality, and the Media (Issues in Cultural and Media Studies)

Sociology

Open Univ Pr

Animals and Society: The Humanity of Animal Rights

Animals and society: The humanity of animal rights

Philosophy

Routledge

Uses a variety of historical sources and a social theory to tell the story of the invention of animal rights. It moves from incidents like the medieval execution of pigs to a discussion of the politics and strategies of modern animal rights organizations. The book also presents radical interpretations of 19th-century animal welfare laws, and the accounts of the Noble Savage. The insights generated by social science are always at the core of the discussion and the author draws on the work of Michel Foucault, Norbert Elias, Claude Levi-Strauss and Mary Douglas. This text provides an account of the relations between humans and animals. It raises questions about the philosophy, history and politics of animal rights.

"Civil Society" discusses some of the meanings and preconditions of freedom, responsibility and social order. Keith Tester argues that these are problems of modernity. The imagination of civil society created a milieu which at once was the location and defence of social self-sufficiency in the world. Tester identifies the origins of civil society in the work of Locke, Hobbes, Rousseau and the often forgotten philosophers of the Scottish Enlightenment. It shows how the assumptions of civil society and its oppressive state of nature, fed into the sociological and philosophical discourses which emerged in the 19th century. Tester does not ask "what is civil society?". Instead he asks "why is civil society?". He concludes that through civil society, the protaganists and heirs of European modernity struggled to make their world meaningful and safe. Civil society involved the establishment of boundaries between the community and the social and the terrifying milieu of Nature.

Civil Society

'Postmodernity' is often claimed as a great transformation in society and culture. But is it? In this book Keith Tester casts a cautious eye on such grandiose claims. Tester draws on a series of themes and stories from European sociology and literature to show that many of the great statements from 'postmodernity' are misplaced. 'Postmodernity' is not the harbinger or expression of a new world. It is a reflection of the unresolved paradoxes and possibilities of modernity. The author establishes a clearly expressed and stimulating model of modernity to demonstrate the stakes and consequences of 'postmodernity'. This book uses a wealth of sources which are usually denigrated or ignored in the debates on 'postmodernity'. As such it sheds new light on old claims. But it never fails to acknowledge the profound insights of sociologists and other authors. The Life and Times of Post-Modernity is a continuation of the themes which Tester raised in his earlier books with Routledge, The Two Sovereigns and Civil Society .

The Life and Times of Post-Modernity

Major and terrible events are happening in the world. They are daily reported in the media and yet most people seem to remain unmoved and uncaring. Are the media themselves responsible for this lack of care? Meanwhile, thanks to the emergence and popularity of cultural studies, the media are being studied as never before. But why is that study so often trivial and lacking in moral seriousness? Is the discipline of cultural studies part of the problem rather than, as it would have us believe, the answer? This book poses these questions and encourages reflection on why, for example, advertisements for coffee inspire more discussion than do famines. The book takes aim at the empty heart of cultural studies and argues that the study of the media can only be culturally valuable and morally worthwhile if it remembers the lessons taught by sociology. This is an accessible and controversial book which is bound to inspire debate amongst students and commentators on the media.

Media, Culture, and Morality

First published in 1994. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor &amp; Francis, an informa company.

Media Culture & Morality (Center for Southeast Asia Studies)

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Books by Tester, Keith

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Tester, Keith. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Humanitarianism and Modern Culture (Essays on Human Rights)

Humanitarianism and Modern Culture (Essays on Human Rights)

Compassion, Morality, and the Media (Issues in Cultural and Media Studies)

Animals and society: The humanity of animal rights

Animals and Society: The Humanity of Animal Rights

Civil Society

The Life and Times of Post-Modernity

The Life and Times of Post-Modernity

Media, Culture, and Morality

Media Culture & Morality (Center for Southeast Asia Studies)