Magic in the Air investigates the spectrum of social aspects of the impact of the cell phone on society and the way social forces affect the use, display, and re-configuration of the cell phone. Surveying the mobile phoneas current and emerging role in daily life, Katz finds that it provides many benefits for the user, and that some of these benefits are subtle and even counter-intuitive. He also identifies ways the mobile phone has not been entirely positive.

Introduction -- Magic in the air : spiritual and transcendental aspects of mobiles -- A nation of ghosts? : choreography of mobile communications in public spaces -- Public performance of mobile telecommunication -- Mobile phones as fashion statements : the co-creation of mobile communication's public meaning -- Mobile phones in educational settings -- The telephone as a medium of faith, hope, terror, and redemption : America, September 11 -- The telephone and social transformation -- Accounting for information in society -- Future communication technology and social settings : a speculative exercise -- Concluding thoughts.