Recap from Wk1Recap from Wk1

Assessment itemsAssessment items WikiWiki Essay – topicsEssay – topics Tutorial paperTutorial paper

Blog and wikiBlog and wiki Lecture – Cultural practiceLecture – Cultural practice

Cultural PracticeCultural Practice

Media Cultures 1 (NEWM1001) Media Cultures 1 (NEWM1001)

Week 2 28 July 2009Week 2 28 July 2009

Introduction: Introduction: New Media and Cultural PracticeNew Media and Cultural Practice

Live – Analog – Live – Analog – DigitalDigital

What is ‘culture’?What is ‘culture’? What Is New Media What Is New Media

Culture?Culture? Theories of Theories of

RepresentationRepresentation Reading ‘culture’ Reading ‘culture’

from Imagesfrom Images

(New) Media: (New) Media: Analog vs DigitalAnalog vs Digital

Analog technology responds to a live signal (voice, Analog technology responds to a live signal (voice, visual image) and translates it into electronic impulses visual image) and translates it into electronic impulses or chemical reactions: eg phonograph records, film, or chemical reactions: eg phonograph records, film, non-digital cameras. non-digital cameras.

Digital technology breaks the live signal down into a Digital technology breaks the live signal down into a binary code and then via a receiving device (monitor, binary code and then via a receiving device (monitor, phone) it reassembles them into the original pattern.phone) it reassembles them into the original pattern.

Analog may not get replication completely ‘right’, as Analog may not get replication completely ‘right’, as digital does, but analog does still allow a warmer, richer digital does, but analog does still allow a warmer, richer range of replicationrange of replication

http://telecom.hellodirect.com/docs/Tutorials/http://telecom.hellodirect.com/docs/Tutorials/AnalogVsDigital.1.051501.aspAnalogVsDigital.1.051501.asp

So why “new” media?So why “new” media?

Available New TechnologiesAvailable New Technologies::A coming together of numerical calculating A coming together of numerical calculating

technology, cinema and broadcast. technology, cinema and broadcast. New and Emerging Ways of Thinking:New and Emerging Ways of Thinking:Postmodern, Poststructural Postmodern, Poststructural Eg. Intertextuality – ‘all texts only make sense to Eg. Intertextuality – ‘all texts only make sense to

us in relation to other texts, that we understand us in relation to other texts, that we understand them as a part of a web of textuality’ (Lister 28)them as a part of a web of textuality’ (Lister 28)

:Not so much the death of the author as the rise :Not so much the death of the author as the rise of the readerof the reader

Defining Concepts in New Defining Concepts in New Media (Lister et al.)Media (Lister et al.)

DigitalityDigitality InterctivityInterctivity HypertextualityHypertextuality DispersalDispersal VirtualityVirtuality

Other Key termsOther Key terms

VR – Virtual RealityVR – Virtual Reality ConvergenceConvergence CyberspaceCyberspace

Manovich’s Principles of Manovich’s Principles of New MediaNew MediaManovich, Lev (2001). Manovich, Lev (2001). Language of New MediaLanguage of New Media, , Cambridge, Massachusetts, London, England: The MIT Cambridge, Massachusetts, London, England: The MIT Press, pp 27-48Press, pp 27-48

1.1. Numerical representationNumerical representation

2.2. ModularityModularity

3.3. AutomationAutomation

4.4. VariabilityVariability

5.5. TranscodingTranscoding

New Media Culture New Media Culture

Diversified, mass distribution but relies on individuals Diversified, mass distribution but relies on individuals passing information on -a passing information on -a viralviral process. Individual to process. Individual to individual to individual to individual ….individual to individual to individual ….

Communications via new media have the potential to Communications via new media have the potential to continue continue ad infinitumad infinitum

Mass audience for the sublime and the dreadful, the Mass audience for the sublime and the dreadful, the amateur and the professionalamateur and the professional

(how to distinguish between the 2?)(how to distinguish between the 2?) Portable, mobile and personalised points of accessPortable, mobile and personalised points of access Increasingly becoming less expensive: a lot can be Increasingly becoming less expensive: a lot can be

done on old machinesdone on old machines

What Is Culture?What Is Culture?

The way in which people communicate and live The way in which people communicate and live together, including the tools they use to together, including the tools they use to communicate and live together : language, communicate and live together : language, film, fashion, houses, cities, music, visual art, film, fashion, houses, cities, music, visual art, computers, transportation, and all the various computers, transportation, and all the various discourses which people use to organise the discourses which people use to organise the world (and other people).world (and other people).

Definitions of CultureDefinitions of Culture (also in Readings) (also in Readings)

New Media and New Media and RepresentationRepresentation

A new signifying practice based on digital A new signifying practice based on digital technologytechnology

New Media offers various ways of representing New Media offers various ways of representing the world, whether by immersing our senses in the world, whether by immersing our senses in fictionalised ‘real life’ or fantasy or by allowing fictionalised ‘real life’ or fantasy or by allowing us access to ‘live’, ‘happening now’ information us access to ‘live’, ‘happening now’ information and dialogueand dialogue

Theories of Representation (a)Theories of Representation (a)

Reflective/MimeticReflective/Mimetic‘‘the truth is out there’ and language or some the truth is out there’ and language or some

other system of communication can accurately other system of communication can accurately imitate it.imitate it.

IntentionalIntentionalThe person who does the communicating The person who does the communicating

(speaking, drawing, web-design, filmmaking, (speaking, drawing, web-design, filmmaking, sculpting etc) is in total control of the sculpting etc) is in total control of the ‘message’. Meaning is fixed.‘message’. Meaning is fixed.

Theories of Representation (b)Theories of Representation (b)

ConstructionistConstructionist Language, art, the web are all ‘signifying practices’:Language, art, the web are all ‘signifying practices’:

The symbols that are used in these signifying The symbols that are used in these signifying practices can all be used in many ways to mean practices can all be used in many ways to mean many things.many things.

The way we make the message is not the message The way we make the message is not the message itself and no message is ever ‘fixed’ forever.itself and no message is ever ‘fixed’ forever.

People construct ‘meanings’, and often very People construct ‘meanings’, and often very different ones, from the same symbol. different ones, from the same symbol.

Reading Culture from Reading Culture from ImagesImages

Denotation: Denotation: what is denoted by an image, what it ‘literally’ what is denoted by an image, what it ‘literally’

refers torefers to Connotation: Connotation: the many meanings that are available from the the many meanings that are available from the

image, depending on our own personal image, depending on our own personal experience, the viewing context, cultural experience, the viewing context, cultural assumptions.assumptions.

What stories/meanings do these images What stories/meanings do these images convey?convey?

‘‘Typing’ , Categorising, Typing’ , Categorising, Recognising …Recognising …

We do this all the time in order to make We do this all the time in order to make sense of the world. When we meet sense of the world. When we meet someone for the first time, we look for someone for the first time, we look for clues in the way they represent clues in the way they represent themselves, the way others interact with themselves, the way others interact with them, the context in which we meet them, them, the context in which we meet them, in order to appropriately address them, in order to appropriately address them, describe them to others, deal with them. describe them to others, deal with them. And don’t we all make mistakes!And don’t we all make mistakes!

StereotypesStereotypes

A ‘difficult to change’, reductive construction of identity A ‘difficult to change’, reductive construction of identity which is created through representationwhich is created through representation

A fixed identity which is used to describe particular A fixed identity which is used to describe particular groups of people in order to support a dominant groups of people in order to support a dominant discourse about what is ‘normal’, ‘natural’, right’ in discourse about what is ‘normal’, ‘natural’, right’ in society – they support the ‘status quo’.society – they support the ‘status quo’.

Stereotypes are also often used as quick ways of Stereotypes are also often used as quick ways of describing people whom we do not knowdescribing people whom we do not know

A marking of ‘difference’ between people which favors A marking of ‘difference’ between people which favors the the status quo – status quo – stereotyped people are usually stereotyped people are usually marked as outside and are denied powermarked as outside and are denied power..

Hall’s thinking on Hall’s thinking on stereotypesstereotypes

‘‘Stereotyping reduces people to a few, Stereotyping reduces people to a few, simple, essential characteristics, which are simple, essential characteristics, which are represented as fixed by Nature. Here, we represented as fixed by Nature. Here, we examine four further aspects: (a) the examine four further aspects: (a) the construction of 'otherness' and exclusion; (b) construction of 'otherness' and exclusion; (b) stereotyping and power; (c) the role of stereotyping and power; (c) the role of fantasy; and (d) fetishism.’ (257)fantasy; and (d) fetishism.’ (257)

‘‘stereotyping reduces, essentializes, stereotyping reduces, essentializes, naturalizes and fixes 'difference'.’ (258)naturalizes and fixes 'difference'.’ (258)

‘ ‘stereotyping deploys a strategy of “splitting”. It stereotyping deploys a strategy of “splitting”. It divides the normal and the acceptable from the divides the normal and the acceptable from the abnormal and the unacceptable. It then abnormal and the unacceptable. It then excludes or expels everything which does not excludes or expels everything which does not fit, which is different.’ (258) fit, which is different.’ (258)

‘‘stereotyping tends to occur where there are stereotyping tends to occur where there are gross inequalities of power. Power is usually gross inequalities of power. Power is usually directed against the subordinate or excluded directed against the subordinate or excluded group.’ (258)group.’ (258)

Semiotics and Semiotics and InterpretationInterpretation

Ferdinand Sassure’s structure of language:Ferdinand Sassure’s structure of language: SignifiedSignified object is ‘denoted’ by a object is ‘denoted’ by a SignifierSignifier(an actual tree)(an actual tree) (the word ‘tree’ or in (the word ‘tree’ or in

another language …?)another language …?)

The combination of the Signified + the Signifier = SIGNThe combination of the Signified + the Signifier = SIGN(the object)(the object) + (the word)+ (the word)

This combination, this SIGN, ‘connotes’ many different This combination, this SIGN, ‘connotes’ many different meanings, and depending on how many of these we meanings, and depending on how many of these we are familiar with, we interpret the sign’s meaningsare familiar with, we interpret the sign’s meanings

Bush MechanicsBush Mechanics

Nice Coloured GirlsNice Coloured Girls

Adapted by Tracey Meziane from the original presentation by

Dr. Catherine Summerhayes

Credits:Credits: