Das Spektakel als Politikon. Massenmediale Inszenierungen von Protest- und Hilfsaktionen

In: Neue soziale Bewegungen: Forschungsjournal, Band 9, Heft 1, S. 15-25

Abstract

Examines the relationship of social movements to the mass media, contending that there has been a shift toward spectacle. Social movements have generally held an instrumental attitude toward the media in that their goal has been to use the media to communicate & convince. Increasingly, however, this goal is secondary to an identity-politics approach that seeks to generate feelings of solidarity & dramatize communal vision. This is evident in spectacular performances that use elements of magic & ritual (eg, broadcast music extravaganzas). In these events, the actual social message is less important than collective emotional participation, which is often egoistic. Media voyeurism takes precedence over discourse. Such performances are interpreted as a reaction against increasing social individualization & isolation. Adapted from the source document.