Under Surveillance

Lewis can write perceptively and with power, as in an autobiographical section reflecting on the social surveillance of his hardscrabble 1970s suburban childhood...Will appeal to sociologists and students of cultural studies and behaviors. ~Kirkus

[T]his book contributes a clear formulation of key issues at stake while reminding us that technological advances unaccompanied by critical reflection and public discussion risk what Thoreau—one of Lewis’s political and philosophical touchstones—called 'but improved means to an unimproved end.' ~Publishers Weekly

[An] accessible, ruminative, anxiety-ridden new book on American surveillance culture. ~Texas Observer

Under Surveillance takes a compelling, and very chilling, look at the changes in our culture since 9/11 . . . Lewis examines the issue from a multiplicity of angles, all of which are worth giving deeper thought. ~Mandatory

[A] warmly conversational treatment that is also searching and literate. ~Survival

A sprightly tour down some of the surveillance society’s most claustrophobic corridors. ~Cory Doctorow, author of Little Brother and Walkaway

In this original take on the dilemma of constant surveillance, Randolph Lewis approaches the phenomenon of being watched constantly by watching back. An engaging, alarming, and enlightening book, one that is certain to be among the most important books on surveillance in the twenty-first century. ~Siva Vaidhyanathan, University of Virginia, author of The Googlization of Everything (And Why We Should Worry)

This incredibly compelling book provides a thoughtful and engaging exploration of the affective dimensions of contemporary surveillance. It is hard to think of another book that introduces readers to surveillance through the lenses of biography, ethnography, and critical cultural inquiry. The writing is witty and colorful, accessible while communicating many profound insights. ~Torin Monahan, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, coauthor of SuperVision: An Introduction to the Surveillance Society

Lewis is adept at making complex philosophical, historical, and sociological arguments comprehensible to the lay person, and he brings in a range of useful cultural references to provide a broader perspective on contemporary debates. The book is both sophisticated and accessible—a rare combination. ~Stacy Takacs, Oklahoma State University, author of Terrorism TV: Popular Entertainment in Post-9/11 America