Routledge Handbook of the Influence Industry

'This essential and comprehensive volume brings together an impressive range of scholars from across the world to shine a light into one of the most important - but misunderstood - issues of our time.'

Rory Cormac, University of Nottingham, UK

'At a time when too much scholarly attention is given to the notion that disinformation is but an artifact of algorithms and social media's commercial logic, Emma L. Briant and Vian Bakir remind us of the role of institutionalized political power, what they call in this important volume the influence industry. Powerful industry actors take advantage of technology to shape public perceptions and even behaviors in a struggle for dominance and control. This insightful book is a must-read for those interested in understanding modern digital politics.'

Steven Livingston, George Washington University, USA

'This invaluable collection gives a sharply-focused analysis of what the as yet under-researched influence industry is. Even more important, it reveals what the industry does - shaping how people think and guiding how they act - through a series of impressive case studies that show how data-driven influence campaigns and practices operate worldwide across commerce, politics and national security. Innovative conceptually, it proposes a new, better way to understand and study propaganda and disinformation. And it offers constructive, practical proposals for countering their effects.'

Steven Lukes, New York University, USA

'The Routledge Handbook of the Influence Industry is one of the most important contributions in our field in recent times. The editors have done a remarkable job in bringing together a series of works that have effectively opened a new space for reflection and discussion. I have no doubt that it will quickly become a seminal piece that will be quoted and used as a reference by scholars and experts to understand the perversity and the extent of manipulation of the public that have led to disasters such as Brexit and the 2016 election of Donald Trump.'

Jairo Lugo-Ocando, University of Sharjah, UAE

'This book provides an insightful and timely contribution to understanding the mechanics of influence operations and profits in a complex digital world. It also provides an in-depth knowledge of the actors, technologies and infrastructures that underpin them in a rapidly evolving and increasingly opaque world of influence... The twenty-five chapters spread across four thematic sections make this book an indispensable pedagogical reference tool for students, academia and whistleblowers. The book's global scope and detailed empirical, in-depth case study approach have positioned it at the nexus of political communication, strategic influence and digital governance, beyond what was once the usual PR and propaganda.'

Farhat Asif, Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, October 2025

'The shift of focus toward the actors of social media influence operations within the global perspective makes the Handbook of the Influence Industry a very refreshing read, showing innovative perspectives and opening completely new venues for influence research.'

Sarah Komasová, Media, War and Conflict April 2026

'Overall, the Routledge Handbook of the Influence Industry is a substantial field-shaping reference work. Briant and Bakir successfully reorganize the conceptual architecture for understanding modern propaganda, and they make the infrastructure of digital influence legible for scholars working across research traditions. The volume is an essential reference for students, scholars, and policy makers in sociology, journalism, political science, and communication studies.'

Rory Gates, International Journal of Communication 20 (2026)