He received his Ph.D. in Sociology from the New School for Social Research in New York, and has taught at Drew University and Oberlin College. His current work is in the area of sociological theory, media studies, and the sociology of knowledge, and his earlier publications include, Image and Persuasion: The Machiavellian World of Advertising and Public Relations, The Role of the Intellectual in Public Affairs, and Media and Politics in the Information Age.