Michael Jordan, Inc.: Corporate Sport, Media Culture, and Late Modern AmericaMichael Jordan, Inc. seeks to make sense of a celebrated figure whose public existence illuminates a late capitalist order defined by the convergence of corporate and media interests. Using Michael Jordan as a vehicle for viewing the broader social, economic, political, and technological concerns that frame contemporary culture, the contributors focus on celebrity economy, corporate culture, identity politics, and the global marketplace foundational pillars of contemporary cultural existence. They provide an introduction to late capitalism s pervasive and invasive cult of celebrity, examine the innovative corporate connections (particularly Jordan s association with Nike) largely responsible for Jordan s aggressively commodified being, excavate the cultural politics imbued within the racialized and sexualized nature of Jordan s identity, and demonstrate the global reach and influence that has accompanied the concerted commodification of Jordan by transnational corporations. This anthology represents both an intellectual expression of, and a political commitment to, the fact that Michael Jordan matters. |
Contents
Representing Michael | 7 |
Michael Jordan and His Uniform Number | 19 |
The Sports Spectacle Michael Jordan and Nike Unholy Alliance? | 41 |
Nikes AmericaAmericas Michael Jordan | 69 |
The Facts of Michael Jordans Blackness Excavating a Floating Racial Signifier | 111 |
Safe Sex Symbol? Michael Jordan and the Politics of Representation | 157 |
The Global Jordanscape | 181 |
Michael Jordan Sneaker Commercials and Canadian Youth Cultures | 221 |
Be Like Mike? Michael Jordan and the Pedagogy of Desire | 263 |
Just Do It What Michael Jordan Has to Teach Us | 273 |
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285 | |
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advertising African American Air Jordan American culture Andrews articulation athletic apparel audience baseball basketball player black athletes black body black cultural black male black youth Canadian championship Chicago Bulls Cole commercial commodified commodity consumer consumption contemporary context corporate crime critical cultural studies discourse dominant dunk Dyson economic embodies endorsements figure gambling gangs global groups icon identified identity ideologies imagination inner city interpretation Jackson Kellner kids Larry Bird London Magic Johnson marketing masculinity meaning media culture Michael Jordan Mike MJ's modern narrative NBA's Nike Nike's nonblack O. J. Simpson play political popular culture postmodern programs promotional race racist representations responsibility retirement Robeson Routledge shoes sneaker social society Sociology of Sport Spike Lee Sport Journal Sports Illustrated star style superstar symbolic television tion transcendence transnational un's urban USA Today values violence York youth culture Zealand