Celebrity Cultures
An Introduction
- Lee Barron - Northumbria University, UK
What is celebrity? How do celebrities influence society? Why do we hang on their every word, tweet or status update?
Celebrity Cultures offers a fresh insight into the field of celebrity studies by updating existing debates and exploring recent developments. From the PR campaigns of Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar to the election of Arnold Schwarzenegger as Governor of California, this book critically evaluates a number of diverse celebrity case-studies and considers what they reveal about contemporary global society. Taking into account issues such as gender, sexuality, ethnicity, economics, politics and the media, the book draws upon a range of cultural theorists including Theodore Adorno and Jean Baudrillard.
Over the course of ten richly illustrated chapters, the book:
- Draws upon sociology, cultural theory, media analysis and celebrity commentary to explore and re-evaluate the study of celebrity.
- Examines the international appeal of celebrity including examples from India, China, South Korea and Indonesia.
- Includes chapter introductions identifying key points and annotated further reading suggestions.
Celebrity Cultures is an invaluable resource for students of celebrity, media and cultural studies.
This book offers an invaluable contribution to the field in bringing together core issues in the study of celebrity in one volume. In synthesising a range of perspectives on celebrity – from the historical, the industrial, the journalistic to the political – the book offers a highly useful introduction to why celebrity matters.
Celebrity Cultures is a wonderfully rich and very well researched examination of the field. It offers a detailed discussion of the origins and histories of celebrity, drawing on a wide range of academic reference points and popular illustrations. The writing is lucid, energetic, and the book is very well organised around a set of key themes and critical issues. Celebrity Cultures will quickly become a key text in the study of celebrity.
This book is the best guide to celebrity culture. It is written in a very accessible language and its structured in a very clear and effective way. Summaries are provided at the beginning of each chapter and further readings are suggested at the end. It is an ideal textbook for college and university students seeking to gain a comprehensive understanding of celebrity culture: the value of this books lies in the breadth of its scope and its general and introductory approach.
This will be useful as an introduction to the study of celebrity for my Media and Communication undergraduates. It provides a broad history of celebrity and covers many of the most important areas of the field incorporating many contemporary textual examples. The structure of the book is also convenient for setting short readings on different subjects.
This will be a useful as an introduction to the study of celebrity for my Media and Communication undergraduates. It provides a broad history of celebrity and covers many of the most important areas of the field including many contemporary textual examples. The structure of the book is also convenient for setting short readings on specific subjects.
The book provides the essential sub-topics needed to understand the field of Celebrity Studies. Rich in examples, it should be easy to read and understand for students, especially undergraduates.
very good introduction to international celebrity cultures research
Helpful for reserach projects in course, written papers etc.
Barron's book offers a comprehensive overview of the impact of Celebrity Cultures on contemporary social life by focusing on some of the key relationships between celebrities and their audience(s). It is thoughtfully organized and would provide an excellent resource for anybody looking to explore the importance of celebrity to contemporary life.
An excellent introduction to this exciting field of study.
Sample Materials & Chapters
Celebrity Cultures: The Ancient Art of Self-Publicity
Celebrity Cultures: Celebrity and Politics
Sage College Publishing
