The public discussion about knowledge takes place daily and across all media: What do we know, what do others know about us, and how can we maintain or regain control over this knowledge? Why do we turn to a search engine today when we want to know something? Why are we becoming information giants, yet risk becoming knowledge dwarfs? What are the consequences of the McDonaldization of knowledge? Most contributions to the debate about knowledge approach the topic through practical individual aspects or delve into the fog of media theory. No one, except Peter Burke, has dared to undertake such a comprehensive analysis of our knowledge society. Thanks to his vast knowledge, he is able to describe and contextualize the complex processes in a way that is understandable to everyone: for instance, the professionalization and democratization, the accumulation and the...