Legacies of the Surveillance State by Pierce, Cliodhna;

Short description:

Legacies of the Surveillance State offers a chilling exploration of two historical surveillance societies: East Germany and Northern Ireland during the 1970s and 1980s to provide a unique perspective on the human cost of surveillance.

Long description:

In an age of invasive technology and mass data collection, how can we understand the true impact of surveillance on our lives and communities? Legacies of the Surveillance State offers a chilling exploration of two historical surveillance societies: East Germany and Northern Ireland during the 1970s and 1980s to provide a unique perspective on the human cost of surveillance. 

Cliodhna Pierce delves into the chilling similarities in surveillance tactics used by these ideologically opposed regimes, revealing the profound and lasting consequences for those living under constant scrutiny. Through a comparative analysis and personal testimonies from those who lived through it, Pierce uncovers the mechanisms of control, the manipulation of information, and the chilling effects on individual liberties and community cohesion.

This book is a powerful reminder of the importance of vigilance in protecting our freedoms and a must-read for anyone concerned about the growing reach of surveillance in our modern world. It will appeal to scholars and students of surveillance studies, sociology, history, political science, policing and criminology, security studies, and science and technology studies.

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction: Legacies of the Surveillance State: Communities Living in the Shadows 

Part 1: Watching You, Watching Me: Surveillance in East Germany and Northern Ireland – A Chilling Lesson for Modern Society 

2. Eyes on the Streets: Surveillance Tactics in the Shadows of the Troubles 

3. Eyes Everywhere: The Chilling Surveillance Tactics of East Germany 

Part 2: The Surveillance State: What Gives It Power? Influential Factors which Enable the Surveillance State 

4. Legal Loopholes: The Cracks in the Judicial System That Enable Surveillance 

5. The Illusion of Truth: How Media Manipulation Thrives in a Surveillance State 

6. Big Brother's Grip: When Your Life Choices Are No Longer Your Own 

Part 3: The Long Shadow of Surveillance: How It Shapes Lives and Legacies 

7. The Personal Toll of Surveillance: How It Shapes Lives and Minds on the Individual Under Watch 

8. Surveillance: The Shaper of Our Communities 

9. The Surveillance State: A Chilling Look at Its Impact on Our Freedoms and Future 

10. Conclusion; The Lingering Shadow of the Watchful Eye: The Enduring Impact of Surveillance in Northern Ireland and East Germany