Networked Cancer

This book investigates how individual cancer narratives change in an age of networked social media. Through a range of case studies, it shows that a new type of entrepreneurial cancer narrative is currently evolving. This narrative is characterised by using illness to build projects and produce various forms of economic and social value, to stimulate affectively involved and large-scale public participation and to communicate across various social media platforms. Networked cancer: Affect, Narrative and Measurement offers a theoretical framework for understanding this entrepreneurial cancer narrative through an introduction focusing on the key concepts of illness narrative, social media and affect. The chapters examine the importance of connective mobilization, virality, experimental selfies, dark affects and new commemorative practices for understanding entrepreneurial cancer narratives. This study will be of great interest to scholars of media and cultural studies, as well as those interested in narrative medicine, health communication and affect and participation.