'Jim McGuigan is one of cultural studies' leading practitioners. This volume is a generous and wide-reaching exploration of how to use cultural theory to explore a wide variety of topics, brought together under the sign of the struggle for a vigorous, participatory public sphere' - Toby Miller, University of California

This book represents a distinctive approach to cultural analysis, using multi-dimensional methods for addressing issues of public interest.

Stressing the impact of both neoliberalism and the formation of a 'cool capitalist culture' that has colonised everyday life around much of the globe, Jim McGuigan deploys his original concept of the 'cultural public sphere' within several carefully analysed case studies, including:

. celebrity death

. festivals and urban regeneration

. 'race' and multicultural controversy

. popular television

. social significance of the all purpose mobile communication device in a privatised and individualised way of life

. riskiness and uncertainty in the creative and media industries

This is a radical intervention in the research agendas and conceptual development of cultural policy studies, cultural sociology and, more generally, in the broad field known as 'cultural studies'. It offers challenging theoretical arguments that are substantiated with concrete evidence of cultural and social processes.