Lowenthal, Leo. Literature and Mass Culture. Communication in Society, Volume 1. Transaction Books, 1984.
Leo Löwenthal (1900-1993) was a sociologist associated with the Frankfurt School. He began his career by joining the Institute for Social Research in 1927 and became managing editor of its journal Zeitschrift für Sozialforschung.
After migrating to the United States, he held various positions, including research director for Voice of America, the Stanford Center for the Advanced Study of the Behavior Sciences, and finally professor in the department of sociology at the University of California, Berkeley.
His books (which were published in German and English) include:
Literature and Mass Culture
Prophets of Deceit
Literature and the Image of Man.
Sociology of Literature.
AREAS OF ANALYSIS
Literature and the Social System
The Position of the Writer in Society
Society and Social Problems as Literary Materials
Social Determinants of Success
CHALLENGING TASKS
Functional Content
The Writer’s Attitude
Cultural Heritage
The Role of Social Environment