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Seen and Unseen

Technology, Social Media, and the Fight for Racial Justice

Todd Brewster author Marc Lamont Hill author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Simon & Schuster

Published:16th Mar '23

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Seen and Unseen cover

A riveting exploration of how visual media has shifted the narrative on race and reignited the push towards justice by the author of the “worthy and necessary” (The New York Times) Nobody Marc Lamont Hill and the bestselling author and acclaimed journalist Todd Brewster.

With his signature “clear and courageous” (Cornel West) voice Marc Lamont Hill and New York Times bestselling author Todd Brewster weave four recent pivotal moments in America’s racial divide into their disturbing historical context—starting with the killing of George Floyd. Seen and Unseen reveals the connections between our current news headlines and social media feeds and the country’s long struggle against racism.

Drawing on the powerful role of technology as a driver of history, identity, and racial consciousness, Seen and Unseen asks why, after so much video confirmation of police violence on people of color, it took the footage of George Floyd to trigger an overwhelming response of sympathy and outrage.

In the vein of The New Jim Crow and Caste, Seen and Unseen incisively explores what connects our moment to the history of race in America but also what makes today different from the civil rights movements of the past and what it will ultimately take to push social justice forward.

“Brilliant…A brisk, smart, short history of the effects of new communication technologies [on race in America], from the photographs of the 19th century to the movies and television of the 20th and the internet of our own time.” —The Guardian
“Packed with relevant history lessons and sharp analysis, this offers a fresh angle on an issue of vital importance.” —Publisher's Weekly
“The authors intelligently contrast momentous historical events with current atrocities, showing that while progress continues, there is much more work to be done to combat racial injustice. An important addition to debates at the intersection of race and technology.” —Kirkus

ISBN: 9781982180409

Dimensions: 213mm x 140mm x 20mm

Weight: 279g

320 pages