Book Launch - Crisis Cultures: Narratives of Western Modernity in the Digital Age

Join us for a conversation between A/Prof John Rees and author Dr Nicholas Manganas for the launch of his new book - Crisis Cultures: Narratives of Western Modernity in the Digital Age

In Crisis Cultures Nicholas Manganas argues that crisis should be understood not as a series of isolated events, but as a constitutive state intrinsic to modern Western societies. He explores how this perpetual state of crisis intensifies underlying societal tensions and reshapes cultural and political dynamics. 

Drawing on a diverse range of case studies, including the Capitol Hill riots in the United States, and analyses from countries such as Spain and Greece, he explores how both digital and traditional media perpetuate crisis narratives that significantly influence contemporary cultural identities and shape political discourses. 

His analysis also engages with the emotional and temporal aspects of crises, particularly focusing on how digital environments, through their ambient influence, shape and sustain these states of crisis. By reinterpreting the concept of crisis through an interdisciplinary lens that includes historical, political and cultural analysis, he offers a compelling analysis of its role in shaping the present and future contours of Western societies.

This event is part of the UTS FASStival 2024 program.