Watched and watching
Document Type
Book review
Source Publication
Cultural Studies
Publication Date
1-1-2014
Volume
28
Issue
2
First Page
352
Last Page
355
Publisher
Routledge
Abstract
O'Connor reviews the book Liquid Surveillance, by Zygmunt Bauman and David Lyon.
In recent years Zygmunt Bauman has released several co-authored books that take the form of a conversation. In this latest offering he joins with David Lyon, Professor of Sociology from Queen's University in Ontario, Canada, to debate the social consequences of surveillance. Bauman's thesis about the liquid-modern world, of which insecurity and impermanence are eerie hallmarks, is contrasted in the book with the ubiquitous notion of always being watched. Though brief, the text engages with an impressive scope of content. Lyon competently sets the questions and pushes Bauman to offer more than he might if writing independently. Their discussion includes military drones, closed-circuit TV cameras, passport control, internet browsing and perhaps with most topical interest, social networking. In the light of revelations made by whistle blower Edward Snowden, this book provides enlightening reading, dealing less with the mechanisms and more squarely with the ethics and impacts of contemporary surveillance.
DOI
10.1080/09502386.2013.853094
Print ISSN
09502386
E-ISSN
14664348
Publisher Statement
Copyright © 2013, Paul O'Connor
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Full-text Version
Publisher’s Version
Language
English
Recommended Citation
O'Connor, P. (2014). Watched and watching. Cultural Studies, 28(2), 352-355. doi: 10.1080/09502386.2013.853094