Overview
From the prizewinning rising legal star, the deeply researched and definitive book on the way the media and police distract us from what matters
āAlec Karakatsanis is a leading voice in the legal struggle to dismantle mass incarceration. . . . What he says cannot be ignored.ā
āJames Formanā Jr.
āCopaganda,ā as defined by Alec Karakatsanis, describes a special kind of propaganda, perpetuated by the police and media, that affects who and what we fear and what kinds of social investments we support to address our fears. At a time when the United States incarcerates five times more people per capita than its own historical average and five to ten times more people per capita than other countries, its vast punishment bureaucracy spends huge amounts of time and money manipulating the rest of us to see the world from its point of view.
As a result, we see a grossly distorted version of crime, punishment, and safety in our newspapers, magazines, and other media outlets. The news generates fear by focusing on crimes committed by the most marginalized people while ignoring far more serious threats to our collective well-being, from wage theft by corporations to environmental crimes to the deaths that result from cigarette smoke (which make the number of violent crimes pale in comparison). And it falsely suggests that the best way to respond to our fear is to increase government repression through police, prosecution, and prisons as opposed to addressing the root causes of interpersonal harm.
In the spirit of such classics as Noam ChomskyāsĀ Manufacturing Consent,Ā CopagandaĀ includes chapters on āWhat Is News?,ā āPublic Relations Spending by the Police,ā āWhose Perspective? How Sources Shape News,ā āHow the News Uses Experts,ā āHow to Smuggle Ideology into the News,ā and āAcademic Copaganda.ā
Already called āone of the most prominent voices on [copaganda]ā (Teen Vogue), with a huge following on social media and appearances discussing copaganda onĀ The Daily Show with Trevor NoahĀ andĀ The Breakfast Club, Karakatsanis brings a legal eye, humor, gripping personal stories, and a keen ability to read between the lines to a topic at the forefront of one of the most pressing public debates in our society.
This book title, Copaganda (How Police and the Media Manipulate Our News), ISBN: 9781620978535, by Alec Karakatsanis, published by The New Press (February 25, 2025) is available in hardcover. Our minimum order quantity is 25 copies. All standard bulk book orders ship FREE in the continental USA and delivered in 4-10 business days.
Unlike Amazon and other retailers who may also offer Copaganda (How Police and the Media Manipulate Our News) books on their website, we specialize in large quantities and provide personal service, from trusted, experienced, friendly people in Portland, Oregon. We offer a Price Match Guarantee, and QuickQuote form, to make purchasing quick and easy.
Prefer to work with a human being when you order Copaganda (How Police and the Media Manipulate Our News) books in bulk? Our Book Specialists are standing by Monday-Friday 8-5 PST, ready to help!