Mark Dery

Marilyn DeLaure

Moritz Fink

A collaboration of political activism and participatory culture seeking to upend consumer capitalism, including interviews with The Yes Men, The Guerrilla Girls, among others. Coined in the 1980s, “culture jamming” refers to an array of tactics deployed by activists to critique, subvert, and otherwise “jam” the workings of consumer culture. Ranging from media hoaxes and advertising parodies to flash mobs and street art, these actions seek to interrupt the flow of dominant, capitalistic messages that permeate our daily lives. Employed by Occupy Wall Street protesters and the Russian feminist punk band Pussy Riot alike, culture jamming scrambles the signal, injects the unexpected, and spurs audiences to think critically and challenge the status quo. The essays, interviews, and creative work assembled in this unique volume explore the shifting contours of culture jamming by plumbing its history, mapping its transformations, testing its force, and assessing its efficacy. Revealing how culture jamming is at once playful and politically transgressive, this accessible collection explores the degree to which culture jamming has fulfilled its revolutionary aims. Featuring original essays from prominent media scholars discussing Banksy and Shepard Fairey, foundational texts such as Mark Dery’s culture jamming manifesto, and artwork by and interviews with noteworthy culture jammers including the Guerrilla Girls, The Yes Men, and Reverend Billy, Culture Jamming makes a crucial contribution to our understanding of creative resistance and participatory culture.

Activism and the Art of Cultural Resistance

Culture Jamming

Non tutti ricordano il cortometraggio Good Night, trasmesso il 19 aprile 1987 durante una puntata del Tracey Ullman Show. Eppure quel video ha segnato la prima apparizione televisiva di una delle famiglie più conosciute e amate dagli americani: i Simpson. Nella loro casa al 472 di Evergreen Terrace, ecco l’indolente Homer Simpson, con la devota moglie Marge e i figli Bart, Lisa e la piccola Maggie. Con un crescendo di successo nel corso degli anni, I Simpson sono diventati la più importante sitcom della tv americana, riflesso ma soprattutto parodia della società occidentale, rappresentata nella sua totalità. Creata da Matt Groening e James L. Brooks, la famiglia più famosa di Springfield si è trasformata in un vero e proprio fenomeno mediatico globale, inconfondibile per la sua irriverenza. Moritz Fink ne ricostruisce tutta la storia, partendo dalle origini, per arrivare ad analizzare l’enorme impatto culturale dei Simpson nei media e nell’universo del fandom.

I Simpson. Trent’anni di un mito

This book looks at The Simpsons place in the pop culture firmament, from inspirations like Mad magazine to its critical role in the renaissance of animated television. The author recounts the birth of the show, discusses its remarkable merchandising success, and examines the show’s popularity as the longest running episodic program in TV history.

Moritz Fink

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