Description
Book SynopsisThe study of surveillance is more relevant than ever before. The fast growth of the field of surveillance studies reflects both the urgency of civil liberties and privacy questions in the war on terror era and the classical social science debates over the power of watching and classification, from Bentham to Foucault and beyond.
Trade Review"The standard by which subsequent efforts will be judged. Those eager to build upon the important existing works in these areas are well advised to start with this excellent volume."
Sociological Review "Written by one of the most influential surveillance scholars internationally, this book provides for the first time a truly interdisciplinary introduction to the study of surveillance. Surveillance Studies not only constitutes an important entry point to critically engage with surveillance in general, it also provides ... the perfect starting point to further develop the study of surveillance as a promising and crucially important field of research."
Area
"This book represents an overview of the field, but is nevertheless original and insightful in its own right. Above all, it is written in a clear and precise manner."
Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute
"A clearly written introduction to the subdiscipline that promises to serve as a useful criminology, sociology, or political science undergraduate textbook."
Sociology
"David Lyon's work demands our utmost respect and admiration for its scope, balance and clarity. If one were restricted to the reliance on only one text on surveillance I would suggest without hesitation to select this book."
Ursula M. Franklin, University of Toronto
"A clearly written, comprehensive and balanced introduction to the burgeoning field of surveillance studies. Definitive (or even pretty good) answers are elusive, but this book does a fine job of asking the right social scientific and moral questions."
Gary T. Marx, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Table of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part I Viewpoints
1. The Watched World Today
2. Spreading Surveillance Sites
3. Explaining Surveillance
Part II Vision
4. Information, Identification, Inventory
5. Security, Suspicion, Social Sorting
6. Bodies, Borders, Biometrics
Part III Visibility
7. Surveillance, Visibility and Popular Culture
8. Struggles over Surveillance
9. Data, Discrimination, Dignity
Glossary
Further Reading
Bibliography
Index
