Overview

This book looks at contemporary surveillance practices and ideologies from a Christian theological perspective. Surveillance studies is an emerging, inter-disciplinary field that brings together scholars from sociology, criminology, political studies, computing and information studies, cultural studies and other disciplines.

Although surveillance has been a feature of all societies since humans first co-operated to watch over one another whilst hunting and gathering, it is the convergence of information technologies within both commerce and the state that has ushered in a surveillance society.

Significance

There has been little, if any, theological consideration of this important dimension of social organisation; this book fills the gap and offers a contribution to surveillance studies from a theological perspective, broadening the horizon against which surveillance might be interpreted and evaluated.

Purpose

This book is also an exercise in consciousness-raising with respect to the Christian community in order that they may critically engage with a surveillance society by drawing on biblical and theological resources. Being the first major theological treatment in the field, it sets the agenda for more detailed considerations.