If the twentieth century has beendominated by discussions of the public, public life, and the public sphere, Contemporary Publics argues that, in thetwenty-first century, we must complicate the singularity of that paradigm andstart thinking of our world in terms of multiple, overlapping, and competing publics. In three distinct streams—art,media and technology, and the intimate life—this volume offers up theintellectual and political significance of thinking through the plurality ofour publics. “Countering Neoliberal Publics: Screen and Space,” explores howdifferent artistic practices articulate the challenges and desires of multiplepublics. “Making and Shaping Publics: Discourse and Technology” showcases howmedia shape publics, and how new and emerging publics use these technologies toconstruct identities. “Commodifying Public Intimacies” examines what happens tothe notion of the private when intimacies structure publics, move into publicspaces, and develop value that can be exchanged and circulated.
