Table of Contents

1.Introduction. The Production of Outer Space; Peter Dickens and James S. Ormrod
2. Terrestrial Geographies in and of Outer Space; Jason Beery
3. Capitalism, Class and the Cosmos; Peter Dickens
4. Satellite Surveillance and Outer Space Capitalism: The Case of MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates; Jocelyn Wills
5. The Meta-Geopolitics of Outer Space; Nayef Al-Rodhan
6. Cosmofeminism: Challenging Patriarchy in Outer Space; Chris Pesterfield
7. Dialectics, Society and Cosmology; Peter Mason
8. Narrating the Universe; Felicity Mellor
9. The Social Impacts of Space Science; Mark R. Johnson
10. Res Communis?: A Critical Legal Geography of Outer Space, Antarctica, and the Deep Seabed; Christy Collis
11. Snared Suns and Liberated Moons: Decoding Cryptic 'Astronomies' in Indigenous Cultures; Lionel Sims
12. Contemporary Cosmologies, Critical Re-Imaginings; Allen Abramson and Martin Holbraad
13. The Whiteness of Cinematic Outer Space; Sean Redmond
14. Seeking the Galactic Club: Fred Hoyle, Carl Sagan and the C/SETI Novell; De Witt Douglas Kilgore
15. Space Activism: A Psychosocial Approach; James S. Ormrod
16. Transmissions from the Noosphere: Contemporary Art and Outer Space; Nicola Triscott
17. Conclusion: The Future of Outer Space; Peter Dickens and James S. Ormrod

Promotional Information

It's a long observed paradox that while social science has made space a key analytic, it has been slow to theorise our relations with extra-terrestrial Space. Finally here is a volume that distils the finest new work on the sociality of outer space and Earth's orbit. This remarkable collection takes the canon of critical thinking to these most unfamiliar of environments, not only bringing outer space 'home' but questioning the cherished planetary boundaries that frame mainstream scholarship. The reach of social science has been ably extended.' - Fraser MacDonald, University of Edinburgh, UK 'This vital collection challenges us to think about "outer space" as much more than a wild blue yonder. Weaving together perspectives from sociology, economics, anthropology, geography, gender studies and the arts, this excellent new book approaches outer space as a dynamic and contested field rather than an ontological given. Its contributors offer meticulous and reflexive accounts of the spatial imaginaries, economics, technologies, and cultures that help to shape the earth's event horizon. Finally, a sobering yet stimulating take on outer space!' - Lisa Parks, University of California, USA 'The smaller Earth becomes, the larger the universe looms. Bringing Henri Lefebvre's noted triad - percu, concu, vecu - to the scholarly study of outer space, this comprehensive, thorough and stimulating anthology elevates the transdisciplinary discussion to a new level of theoretical sophistication and thus makes a substantial contribution to an academic field in the making. Anyone interested in the social production of outer space, whether as a place, a space or a phantasmagoria, will find The Palgrave Handbook of Society, Culture and Outer Space essential reading. Strongly recommended.'- Alexander C.T. Geppert, New York University, USA

About the Author

Peter Dickens is Visiting Senior Research Associate, University of Cambridge, UK. His main interests are in the relations between society and nature. Recent publications include Society and Nature (2004) and, with James Ormrod, Cosmic Society (2007). He continues work on the relations between society and the cosmos, with particular reference to the astronaut and visual cultures of outer space. He is a member of the Red-Green Study Group, London.

James S. Ormrod is Principal Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Brighton, UK. Rooted in psychosocial theory, his research focuses on social movements and on the relationship humans have with their environment and with the universe more generally. He is the author of Fantasy and Social Movements (2014) and, with Peter Dickens, Cosmic Society (2007).

Reviews

“The volume achieves its purpose of providing an in-depth exploration. It also inspires debate in a field of study that is expanding as humans close the gaps among society, culture, and outer space. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through researchers and faculty; professionals.” (R. I. Saltz, Choice, Vol. 54 (4), December, 2016)