
Cold War Sociology
Societies of Distribution
Alex Wade(Author)
Routledge (Publisher)
1st Edition
Published on 11. March 2026
Book
Hardback
134 pages
978-1-032-33199-7 (ISBN)
Description
This book positions the Cold War as a liminal time and space that holds sway in the second quarter of the 21st century, informing a broad and deep analysis of how contemporary society was - and continues to be - fashioned by the societies of distribution found in Cold War Sociology.
As a conflict that spanned the second half of the 20th century, the influence of the Cold War continues into the second quarter of the 21st century. Its chief organizing concept was distribution, seen in the technologies and techniques that infused the time, from game theory to the Internet and artificial intelligence, to nuclear silos that projected global power. Cold War Sociology demonstrates how distribution continues to shape politics, economic and social policy and everyday life, causing unintended consequences including climate change, war and resource depletion that are increasingly difficult to address. It draws on key thinkers from the past to the present day and applies them to a series of empirical, sociological case studies including food banking, education, computer technology, conspiracy thinking and media.
This book will be of vital reading to students of sociology, anthropology, social theory and political theory, including undergraduates, postgraduates and researchers who seek to understand the genesis of the often puzzling and contrarian contemporary world, and how the unintended consequences of the Cold War contain answers to present-day problems.
As a conflict that spanned the second half of the 20th century, the influence of the Cold War continues into the second quarter of the 21st century. Its chief organizing concept was distribution, seen in the technologies and techniques that infused the time, from game theory to the Internet and artificial intelligence, to nuclear silos that projected global power. Cold War Sociology demonstrates how distribution continues to shape politics, economic and social policy and everyday life, causing unintended consequences including climate change, war and resource depletion that are increasingly difficult to address. It draws on key thinkers from the past to the present day and applies them to a series of empirical, sociological case studies including food banking, education, computer technology, conspiracy thinking and media.
This book will be of vital reading to students of sociology, anthropology, social theory and political theory, including undergraduates, postgraduates and researchers who seek to understand the genesis of the often puzzling and contrarian contemporary world, and how the unintended consequences of the Cold War contain answers to present-day problems.
Reviews / Votes
'Cold War Sociology is an intriguing analysis of how Cold War dynamics continue to shape contemporary society. Far more than a historical account, this book offers a sharp sociological lens on the era's political, technological, and ideological legacies.The author, Alex Wade, brilliantly argues that distribution was a defining force in Cold War societies, with its impact still visible today. From missile silos and the Internet, to the paradoxes of equality, manifesting in "The drive to treat everyone equally, even - or especially - when everyone is different, is by definition an impossible goal," this work challenges us to rethink modern structures. Engaging, rigorous, and thought-provoking, this book is essential for scholars and critical thinkers seeking a deeper understanding of the Cold War's lasting imprint on global politics, economics, and culture.'
Regina Seiwald, Teaching Fellow in Modern Languages, University of Birmingham
'Wide ranging and challenging, this valuable study offers a new way of thinking about a world in crisis. This is an important study that avoids fashionable, simplistic and pessimistic conclusions.'
Mike Gane, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, Loughborough University
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Postgraduate and Undergraduate
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight
394 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-032-33199-7 (9781032331997)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
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E-Book
03/2026
1st Edition
Routledge
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Available for download

E-Book
03/2026
1st Edition
Routledge
€55.49
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Book
03/2026
1st Edition
Routledge
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Person
Alex Wade is Research Degrees Director for Education in the Department of Social Sciences at Birmingham City University, UK. He is the author of two previous books on the sociology of media histories: Playback: A Genealogy of 1980s British Videogames and The Pac-Man Principle: A User's Guide to Capitalism.
Content
Introduction: The Architecture of Distribution 1 Towards a Sociology of the Cold War 2 Poison and Meat: The Distribution of Food 3 Netflixization: The Distribution of Education 4 Chains of Approval: The Distribution of Technology 5 The Conspiracy of Theory: The Distribution of Information 6 Strategies of Containment: Distribution in Contemporary Cold War Media Conclusion: Political Anthropology of Distribution