In Loving Big Brother the author tackles head on the overstated claims of the crime-prevention and anti-terrorism lobbies. But he also argues that we desire and enjoy surveillance, and that, if we can understand why this is, we may transform the effect it has on our lives. This book looks at a wide range of performance and visual artists, at popular TV shows and movies, and at our day-to-day encounters with surveillance, rooting its arguments in an accessible reading of cultural theory. Constant scrutiny by surveillance cameras is usually seen as - at best - an invasion of privacy, and at worst an infringement of human rights. But in this radical new account of the uses of surveillance in art, performance and popular culture, John E McGrath sets out a surprizing a world where we have much to gain from the experience of being watched. This iconoclastic book develops a notion of surveillance space - somewhere beyond the public and the private, somewhere we will all soon live. It's a place we're just beginning to understand.
John McGrath Books
John McGrath was an English playwright and theatre theorist who championed Scottish agency in his works. He is remembered for formulating the principles of a radical, popular theatre, drawing on techniques that echo epic theatre traditions. His most celebrated play uses these methods to explore recurring patterns of land abuse and exploitation in Scotland's history, demonstrating a profound connection between artistic expression and social critique. McGrath's work consistently aimed to empower through performance, highlighting the enduring relationship between cultural traditions and contemporary struggles.
