Charm

“A New Yorker Best Book We’ve Read This Year”
“Sonnevend, a sociologist at the New School, offers some clues… . It has a lot to do with the way we see politicians in the Internet era… . Charm excites us and, when it works, seems undeniable. But, unlike charisma, it isn’t a gift from the gods. We shouldn’t put too much store in anything so terrestrial.”—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker
“To understand modern politics, including the Kamala Harris and Donald Trump campaigns, distinguishing between two qualities—charisma and charm—is vital. They are different kinds of political magnetism. And thanks to the sociologist Julia Sonnevend, I’ll never conflate them again.”—Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic
“Sonnevend explains how politicians like [Jacinda] Ardern woo voters by deploying an array of techniques, which are often turbo-charged by social media… . Sonnevend guides the reader through a range of examples that can be jarring.”—Tom F. Wright, Bloomberg
“Pertinent and well researched, this book will be of particular interest to those with an interest in global politics… . Timely, illuminating reading.” * Kirkus *
“Julia Sonnevend convincingly argues that charm is a potent force in global politics, deserving of serious scholarly attention despite the inherent difficulties in measuring it and identifying its effects. Her interdisciplinary approach and diverse case studies make the book valuable for scholars, students, and practitioners interested in political communication in the social media age.”—Brandon Gorman, Social Forces
“A powerful reminder that in international politics, the personal is still political… . For anyone interested in understanding the intersection of personality and power in mass media on the global stage, Sonnevend’s Charm offers a compelling, nuanced exploration of the forces that shape our media world today. It reminds us that the allure of charm may captivate us, but it is up to us to decide whether the performance is worth the price.”—Robert Watson, International Journal of Communications

Julia Sonnevend is associate professor of sociology and communications at the New School for Social Research and the author of Stories Without Borders: The Berlin Wall and the Making of a Global Iconic Event.

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