You are here

Understanding Celebrity
Share
Share

Understanding Celebrity

Second Edition


November 2013 | 184 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd

“An outstanding achievement... Graeme Turner writes with power and persuasion, and brilliantly explores what it is about celebrity today that should concern us all”
- Sean Redmond, Deakin University

“A key touchstone for celebrity studies. Turner thoughtfully illuminates the variety of production and consumption practices through which celebrity circulates today, whilst remaining sensitive to the complexity of power relations in play. An essential read for students and scholars in the field”
- Sue Holmes, University of East Anglia

“Cements Turner’s status as the most important figure in celebrity studies... Turner’s gaze fixes on developments in digital, social and global mediascapes, drawing media and celebrity studies into complex critical, political and cultural debates in his indomitable style"
- James Bennett, Royal Holloway, University of London

“An extraordinary synthesis of research and theory... Understanding Celebrity remains the go-to text of celebrity studies"
- Joshua Gamsom, University of San Francisco


Where does the production of celebrity end and its consumption begin?

Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and reality TV allow us a previously unimagined engagement with the manufactured 'persona' of celebrity. Understanding Celebrity has become the go-to text for understanding the connection between the production and consumption of this 'persona'. The long-awaited second edition assesses the changing nature of this pivotal relationship in celebrity studies.

The book:

  • Explains how social media is key in establishing an online presence for celebrities
  • Critically analyses the changing nature of fan culture within the online environment
  • Delves into a richer and more detailed account of the history of celebrity
  • Examines in greater depth the increased role of reality TV
  • Incorporates recent contributions from feminist scholars to the field

Enriched with new examples drawn from popular culture, this is a contemporary and incisive look at celebrity studies.

Understanding Celebrity is not only an essential text, but a stimulating read for students studying celebrity and popular culture across media studies, cultural studies and sociology.


 
PART ONE: INTRODUCTION
 
1. Understanding Celebrity
Celebrity Today

 
What is Celebrity?

 
Picture Personalities, Stars, and Celebrities

 
The Spread of Celebrity Culture

 
Taxonomies of Fame

 
The Social Functions of Celebrity

 
Celebrities and the Publicity Industries

 
 
PART TWO: PRODUCTION
 
2. The Economy of Celebrity
Globalisation and Media Convergence

 
The Celebrity-Commodity

 
The Celebrity Industries

 
Publicity, News and Power

 
 
3. Manufacturing Celebrity
Ordinary Talent

 
'Real' Celebrities and Reality TV

 
Taking Control: Producing DIY Celebrity in the Digital Era

 
 
4. Celebrity, the Tabloid and the Democratic Public Sphere
Celebrity, Mass Market Magazines and the Tabloids

 
The 'Tabloidisation' Debate

 
'Democratainment'

 
The Demotic Turn

 
 
PART THREE: CONSUMPTION
 
5. The Cultural Function of Celebrity
Celebrity 'From Below'

 
The Para-social Relationship

 
Royal Celebrity

 
Mourning Diana

 
Constructing Cultural Identities

 
 
6. Consuming Celebrity
Celebrity Watchers

 
Gossip: The Extended Family, Melodrama and Revenge

 
Histories of Consumption: Star Gazing

 
Consuming Celebrity Online

 
 
7. Conclusion: Celebrity and Public Culture
Taking Celebrity Seriously

 
Celebrity, Politics and 'Spin'

 
Conclusion

 

Likely to be of interest to our final year students studying celebrity.

Dr Lynne Hibberd
Cultural Studies and Humanities, Leeds Metropolitan University
February 7, 2014

The second edition of Turner's book is an essential for all those engaged in the filed of (celebrity) endorsers.
The book addresses to practitioners as well as researchers and theorists.

Dr Carsten Moeller
Institute of Communication and Media Research, DSH - German Sport University
January 31, 2014

This is an interesting and well-focused text around the celebrity culture. It should provide students with a good complementary resource.

Gary Morris
School of Healthcare, Leeds University
December 13, 2013

An extremely valuable new edition of this seminal text.

Professor Julian Petley
School of Arts, Brunel University
December 1, 2013
  •  

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter One - Understanding Celebrity


Select a Purchasing Option


Rent or Buy eBook
ISBN: 9781446292716

Hardcover
ISBN: 9781446253205
$191.00

Paperback
ISBN: 9781446253212
$59.00

This title is also available on SAGE Knowledge, the ultimate social sciences online library. If your library doesn’t have access, ask your librarian to start a trial.