De-Westernizing Media Studies brings together leading media critics from around the world to address central questions in the study of the media. How do the media connect to power in society? Who and what influence the media? What is the nature of media power? How is globalization changing media and society?In a series of case studies from Asia, Africa, North and South America, Europe, the Middle East and Australia, the contributors explore relationships between media, power and society. Their conclusions challenge the prevailing wisdom, on both left and right. Free markets can give rise not to consumer freedom but to new systems of power in which big business, media and state are closely allied. The nation continues to be dominant in contrast to cultural theories which celebrate the rise of the “global/local.” Western “cultural imperialism” can be progressive when Hollywood feminism challenges third world patriarchy.De-Westernizing Media Studies is essential reading because it draws upon the experience of countries throughout the world instead of generalizing from the experiences of a few rich nations in the West. Above all, it provides a comprehensive and challenging response to a key debate of our time: whether globalization is a force for bad, undermining democracy, imposing cultural uniformity and weakening popular movements based on organized labor, or a force for good, empowering minorities and promoting solidarity between people.Contributors: Hussein Amin, W.Lance Bennett, Stuart Cunningham, James Curran, Peter Dahlgren, Terry Flew, Daniel C.Hallin, Chang-Nam Kim, Raymond Kuhn, Tawana Kupe, Chin-Chuan Lee, Colin Leys, Tamar Liebes, Eric Kit-wai Ma, Brian McNair, Paolo Mancini, Zaharom Nain, James Napoli, Myung-Jin Park, Arvind Rajagopal, Helge Rønning, Byung-Woo Sohn, Colin Sparks, Annabelle Sreberny, Mitsunobu Sugiyama, Keyan G.Tomaselli, Silvio Waisbord.