Alternative Facts

Expressions like »post-factual« and »alternative facts« are all the rage. They point to a battle about the reality of reality that seems to be fought in many societies.

However, sociologist Nils C. Kumkar looks at these phenomena from a different angle: based on case studies of the controversies surrounding COVID 19, climate change and the size of the audience at Donald Trump’s inauguration, he argues for understanding »alternative facts« not primarily as set pieces of a parallel world, but as discursive smokescreens in the context of polarised debates. According to Kumkar, they do not have a contributing effect on the construction of an alternative reality, but instead are a communicative destruction of reality that allows one to continue as before against one’s better judgement.

»Writing confidently, clearly and elegantly despite the complexity, Kumkar delves deep into the material and into a web of failed communication.« Caroline Fetscher, Der Tagesspiegel

»Social scientist Nils Kumkar has made a substantial contribution to an analytical pathology of political communication.« Patrick Bahners, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

»Kumkar uses vivid language and analogies from everyday life when juggling theoretical concepts. Which makes his book a stimulating read even for interested laymen.« Simon Schwarz, Der Tagesspiegel

»... Nils Kumkar has developed a template that can be used to explain many current absurdities even in established politics ... A book with considerable practical value.« Gerhard Klas, neues deutschland

»a brilliant analysis« Jacobin

»The situation is not quite as dramatic as we think, finds sociologist Nils C. Kumkar. And he convincingly backs up this finding with an extremely illuminating analysis.« Vera Linß, Deutschlandfunk Kultur