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  • © 2017

The 2015 UK General Election and the 2016 EU Referendum

Towards a Democracy of the Spectacle

Palgrave Macmillan
  • Discusses events of key importance for their impact and ramifications on Britain’s relationship to Europe and the rest of the world
  • Focuses on the media’s expression of the discourse of deliberative and participatory democracy
  • Offers fresh opportunities for academics and non-academics to reflect on political power and our relationship to it

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Table of contents (4 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xvi
  2. Part I

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
    2. Models of Democracy

      • Ian R. Lamond, Chelsea Reid
      Pages 17-37
  3. Part II

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 39-39
    2. The 2015 UK General Election

      • Ian R. Lamond, Chelsea Reid
      Pages 41-49
    3. The 2016 EU Referendum

      • Ian R. Lamond, Chelsea Reid
      Pages 51-59
  4. Back Matter

    Pages 61-88

About this book

This book brings together the established field of political communication and the emerging field of critical event studies to develop new questions and approaches. Using this combined framework, it reflects upon how we should understand the expression of democratic participation in mainstream mass media during the 2015 UK General Election and the 2016 referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU. Are we now living in an era where democratic participation is much more concerned with spectacle rather than substantive debate? The book addresses this conceptual journey and reflects on differing models of democratic participation, before applying that framework to the two identified case studies. Finally, the authors consider what it means to be living in a period of democratic spectacle, where political events have become evental politics. The book will be of use to students and scholars across the fields of political science and culture and media studies, as well as wide readers interested in the current issues facing British politics.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Leeds Beckett University , Leeds, United Kingdom

    Ian R. Lamond, Chelsea Reid

About the authors

Ian R Lamond is Senior Lecturer in Event Studies at Leeds Beckett University, UK. He is one of the leading figures developing that field and was one of the first to use the term 'critical event studies', as it is understood in this book. His research encompasses critical approaches to the study of events, tourism and hospitality; discourse studies; the philosophy of crisis and event and protests as event.

Chelsea Reid is Part-Time Lecturer in the Faculty of Arts, Environment and Technology at Leeds Beckett University, UK, teaching both Creative Media and Digital Journalism. Her research interests include political activism, propaganda, and the dissemination of news via social media. 

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 44.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access