Societal Deception: Global Social Issues in Post-Truth Times

This book provides a comprehensive overview of ’societal deception’ - how and why people are deceived and led to believe fake news. Coherently blending critical political economy and sociology, the author provocatively examines how corporations, political parties, the media, think tanks and assorted ’influencers’ seek to manipulate public opinion to achieve their goals. This book spans an array of contemporary topics and issues not normally tackled by a single writer - the media, genetic engineering, fast food, environmental pollution, climate change, economic inequality, political manipulations, sports, and religion. While critical in subject matter, and replete with easily accessible and reliable sources, this book is highly readable and entertaining for the general as well as academic audience interested in current global issues.

Geoffrey Alan Lawrence is Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Queensland, Australia, and Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia. A recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the Australasian Agri-food Research Network (AFRN), he has an extensive publication record on a range of topics including rural social change, agri-food industries, community resilience, food security, sport and leisure, neoliberal globalization, and financialization.