W. Lance Bennett - Communicating the Future

1 Cover

2 Dedication Dedication For Oliver

3 Title Page Communicating the Future Solutions for Environment, Economy, and Democracy W. Lance Bennett polity

4 Copyright Page

5 Acknowledgments

6 Introduction: The Future is Now Notes

7 Overview of the Book

8 1 Communicating Complex Problems Language vs. Reality: Avoiding Solutions that Perpetuate Problems Life in an Age of Magical Thinking How Everyday Communication Logic Affects Thinking About Change Recognize That the Future Starts Now Be Careful with Categories Learn to Think at the Intersection of Categories Avoid Backwards Thinking that Gets Us Working the Wrong Ends of Problems Notice How Facts and Values Are Used Selectively to Support Each Other Think Critically about “Being Realistic” Using Communication Logics to Decode Everyday Communication Why So Much Everyday Communication Is Unhelpful Imagining a Different World The Politics Problem The Idea-Flow Framework Idea Production Packaging Ideas Networking Ideas Political Uptake Notes

9 2 What’s Missing in Environmental Communication? Why Ideas Matter The Fragmentation of Ideas in the Modern Environmental Movement Competing Sources of Idea Production Better Packaging for Alarms than Solutions The Weak Networking of Environmental Ideas The Limited Political Uptake of Real Solutions The Pitfalls of Sustainable Development Notes

10 3 Economy vs. Environment: Selling Predatory Economics The Idea of Endless Growth The Rise of Neoliberal Free-Market Mania The Production of Neoliberal Ideas Packaging Neoliberalism Networking Neoliberalism Political Uptake The Problem of Post-Democracy Notes

11 4 Democracy with a Future: Mobilizing Ideas and Opportunities for Change The Political Future at a Crossroads Some Political Lessons from the Rise of Neoliberalism Lesson 1: The Coordinated Production of Alternative Ideas Lesson 2: Packaging Ideas for Change Lesson 3: Networking the Spread of Ideas Lesson 4: Political Uptake and Institutional Embedding of Ideas and Values Lesson 5: Taking Advantage of Political Opportunities Seizing Opportunities for Change Notes

12 5 Communicating Change: Attention, Amplification, and Organization Making Sure the Contents Suit the Packaging Shifting Attention to (Simpler) Ideas about Economic Change Setting the Stage for Change: A Mindset for Developing Better Ideas How Change Happens: Power, People, and Government A Place to Start: What’s the Economy For? Making the Idea-Flow Model Work Improving Idea Production Idea Packaging Networking Ideas for Change Political Uptake Conclusion Notes

13 Index

14 End User License Agreement

1 Chapter 1 Figure 1.1Visualizing Typical Media Representations of Current Human Life Spheres Figure 1.2A Different Human Imaginary

2 Chapter 2 Figure 2.1The growth of the idea of sustainable development in books published in English ... Figure 2.2Volumes of references to “economic growth” and “sustainable...

3 Chapter 3 Figure 3.1The Global Neoliberal Ideas Network

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For Oliver

W. Lance Bennett

polity

Copyright © W. Lance Bennett 2021

The right of W. Lance Bennett to be identified as Author of this Work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

First published in 2021 by Polity Press

Polity Press

65 Bridge Street

Cambridge CB2 1UR, UK

Polity Press

101 Station Landing

Suite 300

Medford, MA 02155, USA

All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purpose of criticism and review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

ISBN-13: 978-1-5095-4044-0 (hardback)

ISBN-13: 978-1-5095-4045-7 (paperback)

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Bennett, W. Lance, author. | Polity Press.

Title: Communicating the future : solutions for environment, economy and democracy / W. Lance Bennett.

Description: Medford, Massachusetts : Polity Press, 2020. | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Summary: “A star scholar’s treatise on how communication studies can lead to positive environmental change”-- Provided by publisher.