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Cool Capitalism

The Centre for Cultural Policy Studies at the University of Warwick is hosting a seminar, 'Cool Capitalism' on Wednesday 4th November at 5.30pm in the Creative Space in Warwick Arts Centre. The seminar is open to students, staff and external visitors to the University.

Professor Jim McGuigan, Department of Social Sciences at Loughborough University, will explain and illustrate the cool capitalism thesis in relation to cultural policy and other issues and answer questions from the floor.

Thomas Frank coined the term 'the conquest of cool'. Jim McGuigan’s book shows how this conquest is at the heart of the dynamics of contemporary capitalism. He argues that 'cool capitalism' incorporates disaffection into capitalism itself, absorbing rebellion and thereby neutralising opposition to the present system of culture and society. McGuigan explores a huge variety of cultural examples, from the sleek images of mainstream advertising, to the fringes of artistic production, offering a vigourous critique of our understanding of subversion, resistance and counter-culturalism. Has capitalism really colonised our planet? McGuigan shows that there is still some space left for rebellion against the seductive power of the free market economy.

For more information on this event please contact Dr Egil Bjornsen, Senior Teaching Fellow, Centre for Cultural Policy Studies: Egil.Bjornsen@warwick.ac.uk