The Anthropocene in Global Media: Neutralizing the risk

The book offers the first systematic study of how the 'Anthropocene' is reported in mass media globally, drawing parallels between the use (or misuse) of the term and the media's attitude towards climate change and global warming. It identifies the potential dangers of the Anthropocene and explores how dangerous it is in undermining serious global action in the face of potential existential risks. The book presents results from media in more than 100 countries in all major languages and argues that the idea of the Anthropocene helps to concentrate minds and behavior in confronting ongoing ecological and Coronavirus crises.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 286 pages
Publication date: 30 May 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This groundbreaking book delves into the comprehensive examination of how the concept of the 'Anthropocene' is portrayed in the global mass media, drawing insightful parallels between its usage and the media's stance on critical issues such as climate change and global warming. By identifying the potential risks associated with the Anthropocene, this text offers a valuable gateway into a range of topics that often receive inadequate attention, misrepresentation, or marginalization in the media. These risks are extensively explored in various social sciences, environmental humanities, and creative arts, and this book includes chapters that shed light on how these disciplines are reported by the media.

Our findings indicate that the natural science and mass media establishments, as well as the business and political interests that support them, tend to favor optimistic reassurance over pessimistic alarmist narratives when reporting on the Anthropocene. This volume presents results from media outlets in over 100 countries, covering a wide range of major languages, and explores the coverage of key environmental issues, including the impact of climate change and global warming on oceans, forests, soil, biodiversity, and the biosphere.

Through a comparative analysis of media reporting across different regions of the world, the book argues that, despite ongoing controversies, the notion of the Anthropocene serves as a powerful tool for focusing minds and behavior in addressing ongoing ecological and COVID-19 crises.

This book will be of immense interest to students and scholars engaged in environmental studies, providing valuable insights into the ways in which the media shapes public understanding and response to these critical global challenges.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367641993