{"product_id":"technology-pessimism-and-postmodernism-critical-symposium","title":"Technology, Pessimism, and Postmodernism - Critical Symposium","description":"\u003cp\u003eOur review examines Technology, Pessimism, and Postmodernism, a collected volume originating from a 1979 University of Michigan symposium that brings together critics and defenders of modern technology. For readers seeking a historically grounded, reflective account of how technological discourse shifted from uncritical optimism to ambivalence, this book offers direct transcripts and edited essays that illuminate that turning point. The single biggest reason to buy is its balanced presentation of viewpoints from scholars across disciplines, making it a useful primary source for students and researchers interested in the cultural history of technology.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSymposium origins:\u003c\/strong\u003e Assembled from the November 1979 Humanities Department symposium, the book preserves the original exchanges and editorial framing for historical accuracy.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBalanced contributors:\u003c\/strong\u003e Contributors include both critics and defenders of technology, providing readers a deliberate range of perspectives rather than a single polemic.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eContemporary coverage:\u003c\/strong\u003e The volume records media attention of the time, such as coverage by a major newspaper science correspondent, illustrating the broader public impact of the symposium.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdited context:\u003c\/strong\u003e Edited by the volume's editors, the book places individual papers into a coherent thematic discussion of pessimism and technological change.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eInterdisciplinary reach:\u003c\/strong\u003e Material is relevant to historians, sociologists, and humanities scholars interested in late 20th century technological discourse.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book is best suited to graduate students, academic researchers, and informed general readers who want a primary-source snapshot of how scholars debated technology and cultural pessimism at the end of the 1970s. It reads well for those studying the sociology of science, intellectual history, or postmodern critiques of progress.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReaders looking for a technical manual, current technological predictions, or a popular mass-market survey of modern gadgets should look elsewhere; the volume is historical and discursive rather than practical or forward-looking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProvides a faithful record of a focused symposium, preserving the original debates and context for historians.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncludes a balanced set of viewpoints, which helps readers understand the complexity of attitudes toward technology in 1979.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUseful as an academic resource for courses on the sociology of science and intellectual history.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe book is historical and reflective, so it will not satisfy readers seeking up-to-date technical analysis or contemporary forecasting.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTechnology, Pessimism, and Postmodernism\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOrigin\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eUniversity of Michigan Humanities Department symposium, Nov 1979\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEditors \/ Authors\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eYaron Ezrahi; E. Mendelsohn; Howard Segal (editor introduction)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSubject\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSociology of science; cultural history of technology\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFormat\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCollected symposium essays and edited proceedings\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCoverage\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBalanced critics and defenders of modern technology\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis volume is a worthwhile purchase for scholars and students who need a contemporaneous record of late 1970s debates about technology and cultural pessimism; its editorial framing and diverse contributors make it a compact, reliable resource for academic study and historical reference.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this book a primary source for the symposium?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes, it compiles papers and exchanges from the November 1979 symposium and includes editorial framing by the editors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes the volume favor critics or defenders of technology?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo, the collection was curated to include both critics and defenders, offering a balanced set of perspectives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this useful for technical study or forecasting?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo, the book is historical and discursive rather than a technical manual or current technology forecast.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Yaron Ezrahi, E. Mendelsohn, Howard Segal","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48124618375387,"sku":"9401043795","price":143.81,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/51HsXnTlRzL._SL1217.jpg?v=1768447724","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/technology-pessimism-and-postmodernism-critical-symposium","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}