Baudrillard, Youth, and American Film

Kline’s knowledge of Baudrillard is impressive, as is his understanding of teenagers and the social systems in which they are fashioned. This book makes a significant contribution not only to Baudrillard studies but to our understanding of youth cultures today. Kline’s call for more radical approaches to the study of youth and education is as timely as it is crucial. -- Gerry Coulter, Bishop's University and Founding Editor of the International Journal of Baudrillard Studies
In this groundbreaking and original work, the author presents a compelling case for how Baudrillard illuminates the fate of adolescence in contemporary Western society. This is the first and only work to deal with Baudrillard, youth, and film in a systematic and thorough manner; a particularly timely [contribution] as fields like cultural studies of education continues to grow. -- Trevor Norris, Brock University
This book engages in groundbreaking work. Kline uses Baudrillardian thought and popular film to identify the violent discourse that surrounds much of American youth culture. But perhaps most important, this text announces that the time has come to re-evaluate and apply the radical philosophy of Jean Baudrillard to youth and education studies; in other words, the time has come for fatal strategies. -- Kristopher Holland, University of Cincinnati
Kline's clear explanations of Baudrillard's theory is helpful, and his application of it to images of American adolescence is at once disquieting and intriguing. Although Kline's prescriptions for radical thought and fatal strategies are unorthodox and operate at the margins, they may be one of the few promising ways forward in the face of a system that seems to anticipate and thrive upon more traditional forms of critique. Anyone with an interest in critical media literacy will find the critiques and alternatives articulated here to be worthwhile. -- David Waddington, Concordia University