Mark Poster
Encyclopedia
Mark Poster is a Professor Emeritus of History
, Film
and Media Studies
, and the Critical Theory
Emphasis at UC Irvine. He received his Ph.D. from New York University
in 1968, and his research interests include European Intellectual and Cultural History, Existentialism, Marxism, Critical Theory, and Media Studies.
He is known for surveying the work of Lefebvre
, Sartre
and Foucault
. He applies the ideas of these and other French theorists (including Baudrillard
, Althusser
, Baudrillard
, Deleuze
and Derrida
) to digital new media
of the late Twentieth and early Twenty-first century (including television, databases, hypertext and the Internet).
He seeks to politicize the issue of the use and development of the Internet by emphasizing the possibilities of the Internet for liberatory political change, while acknowledging the existence of a deep digital divide, as well as the interests of transnational corporations and national governments.
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, Film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and Media Studies
Media studies
Media studies is an academic discipline and field of study that deals with the content, history and effects of various media; in particular, the 'mass media'. Media studies may draw on traditions from both the social sciences and the humanities, but mostly from its core disciplines of mass...
, and the Critical Theory
Critical theory
Critical theory is an examination and critique of society and culture, drawing from knowledge across the social sciences and humanities. The term has two different meanings with different origins and histories: one originating in sociology and the other in literary criticism...
Emphasis at UC Irvine. He received his Ph.D. from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
in 1968, and his research interests include European Intellectual and Cultural History, Existentialism, Marxism, Critical Theory, and Media Studies.
He is known for surveying the work of Lefebvre
Henri Lefebvre
Henri Lefebvre was a French sociologist, Marxist intellectual, and philosopher, best known for his work on dialectics, Marxism, everyday life, cities, and space.-Biography:...
, Sartre
Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre was a French existentialist philosopher, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and literary critic. He was one of the leading figures in 20th century French philosophy, particularly Marxism, and was one of the key figures in literary...
and Foucault
Michel Foucault
Michel Foucault , born Paul-Michel Foucault , was a French philosopher, social theorist and historian of ideas...
. He applies the ideas of these and other French theorists (including Baudrillard
Jean Baudrillard
Jean Baudrillard was a French sociologist, philosopher, cultural theorist, political commentator, and photographer. His work is frequently associated with postmodernism and post-structuralism.-Life:...
, Althusser
Louis Althusser
Louis Pierre Althusser was a French Marxist philosopher. He was born in Algeria and studied at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, where he eventually became Professor of Philosophy....
, Baudrillard
Jean Baudrillard
Jean Baudrillard was a French sociologist, philosopher, cultural theorist, political commentator, and photographer. His work is frequently associated with postmodernism and post-structuralism.-Life:...
, Deleuze
Gilles Deleuze
Gilles Deleuze , was a French philosopher who, from the early 1960s until his death, wrote influentially on philosophy, literature, film, and fine art. His most popular works were the two volumes of Capitalism and Schizophrenia: Anti-Oedipus and A Thousand Plateaus , both co-written with Félix...
and Derrida
Jacques Derrida
Jacques Derrida was a French philosopher, born in French Algeria. He developed the critical theory known as deconstruction and his work has been labeled as post-structuralism and associated with postmodern philosophy...
) to digital new media
New media
New media is a broad term in media studies that emerged in the latter part of the 20th century. For example, new media holds out a possibility of on-demand access to content any time, anywhere, on any digital device, as well as interactive user feedback, creative participation and community...
of the late Twentieth and early Twenty-first century (including television, databases, hypertext and the Internet).
He seeks to politicize the issue of the use and development of the Internet by emphasizing the possibilities of the Internet for liberatory political change, while acknowledging the existence of a deep digital divide, as well as the interests of transnational corporations and national governments.
Books
- The Utopian Thought of Restif de la Bretonne (1971)
- Existential Marxism in Postwar France: From Sartre to Althusser (1975)
- Critical Theory of the Family (1978)
- Sartre's Marxism (1982)
- Foucault, Marxism, and History: Mode of Production Versus Mode of Information (1985)
- Critical Theory and Poststructuralism: In Search of a Context (1989)
- The Mode of Information: Post-structuralism and Social Contexts (1990)
- The Second Media Age (1995). Chapter 2 available as Postmodern Virtualities
- What's the Matter with the Internet? (Electronic Mediations) (2001)
- The Information Subject (2001)
- Information Please: Culture and Politics in the Age of Digital Machines (2006)
- Deleuze and new technology. Edinburgh, 2009.
External links
- Official site
- Interview with Poster
- What's Left: Materialist responses to the internet by Poster
- See Reader Review of Existential Marxism in Postwar France by Nate Holdren on Amazon