Alienation in the 21st century

The classical formulations of Marx concerning alienation  (objectification/estrangement) described in the 1844 Manuscripts moved the concept from Hegelian idealism to material conditions, the consequences of  wage labor and private property. For Marx, when people worked for wages, they alienated their labor power, selling their labor as a commodity that was embedded in the commodities they produced while they themselves became commodities. They were rendered powerless, dehumanized and estranged from their species being, their communities were rent asunder, and their lives were meaningless.  Although the 1844 Manuscripts were not available for 80 years, they would   have a major influence in social and political theory.  This was evident in classical critiques as those of Mezaros, Israel, and Ollman. But since the 1970s we have seen major transformations of capitalism, now a de-territorialized globalized system dependent on mass consumerism, branded identities, mass media  and computer mediated communication. Does alienation remain a useful concept  when most people in post industrialized society do not work in factories?  We now see a vast proliferation of commodification into a plurality of life worlds and realms. Today, people are more likely to provide services and sell their feelings and emotions as commodities. Apart from the alienation and dehumanization of the workplaces, the many realms of mass media and consumer society colonize consciousness, identity and desire.  For almost 2 decades, we have attempted to rethink and revitalize the concept of alienation as a useful paradigm for understanding many aspects of current life ranging from immigration to education, from everyday life and language. But further, we argue that there are many ways in which people attempt to overcome alienation ranging from popular cultures of resistance to social justice movements. This session will attempt to rethink and reformulate alienation for the 21st  century.