Only Connect: Cooptation and Counter Struggle in the Search for the Networked Citizen

- Blurb -

In an era defined by constant connectivity, the relationships- virtual or otherwise - between ordinary people have never been moreimportant. Political and corporate elites present themselves as supporters ofcitizen solidarities in order to defend structures of power and profit, whilstradical movements rely on those same impulses to resist and undermine thefragile status quo.In Only Connect, Andrew Wallacetraces the evolving role of citizen networks in shaping our political, socialand economic life. From the rise of to the `sharing economy' in the form of companies such as Airbnb to the international spread of Black Lives Matters, Wallace argues that we are now entering a new phase both of neoliberalism and popular protest. Will the collaborative possibilitiesunleashed by the digital revolution result in our relationships beingcommodified and monopolised by corporate and political elites, or will itempower us to reclaim time, autonomy and community for ourselves?Aninnovative take on our current economic and political crisis, Wallace placescitizen relations at the forefront of the agenda, showing how thin thedividing line is between resistance and cooptation.