Introducing Vigilant Audiences

The opening chapter introduces vigilant audiences as a topic of scholarly inquiry, and outlines the broader themes that are addressed in this volume. After contrasting recent events that highlight scholarly and societal concerns with mediated denunciation, it considers an overview of relevant literature that highlight some key definitional matters. It then explores the tension between global media repertoires with local political and cultural contexts, using the mediated scrutiny of luxury vehicles as an exemplary case. This background provides context for the four thematic sections that structure the following chapters. Finally, we highlight some ethical considerations that have practical bearing on our research.