“We’re Not Just Telling Stories, We’re Changing Lives”: Dhar Mann’s Progressive Neoliberalism

Authors

  • Sean T. Leavey Department of Communication Studies, City University of New York, Baruch College

Keywords:

social media, neoliberalism, influencers, discourse, ethics

Abstract

This article focuses on the work of Dhar Mann, a “megainfluencer” based in Los Angeles who makes videos that encourage viewers to treat others fairly and with compassion. However, the narratives he produces are rooted in fantasy, ignore/obscure the role of capitalism in the cultural construction of everyday power relations in the United States, and, in turn, uphold “progressive-neoliberal” ethics glossed with kindness and a depoliticization of everyday life as solutions to individual and social problems.               

Author Biography

Sean T. Leavey, Department of Communication Studies, City University of New York, Baruch College

Adjunct Assistant ProfessorPhone: 703-608-5117Dr. Sean T. Leavey is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Communication Studies Department at CUNY's Baruch College, joining the faculty in the fall of 2021. Since 2012, he has taught courses in media, journalism, communication, and leadership studies at La Roche University, Gonzaga University, Northeastern University, and Rutgers University’s School of Communication and Information. His research interests are in the areas of media/cultural studies, media governance, material culture, political economy, and social movements, and his work has been published in academic journals such as Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, Media History, Communication and Democracy, and Lateral: Journal of the Cultural Studies Association.

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Published

2023-02-13

Issue

Vol. 17 (2023)

Section

Articles

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