Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture

Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture

An engaging introduction to the study of visual culture, Practices of Looking bridges visual, communication, media, and cultural studies to investigate how images and the activity of looking carry meaning within and between different arenas in everyday life. The fourth edition has been updated to represent the contemporary visual cultural landscape and includes topics like the increasingly rapid global circulation of media, the rise of design and DIY cultures, digital media art and activism, and challenges to photojournalism and news media. Engaging and accessible, Practices of Looking is ideal for courses across a range of disciplines. "The greatest strength of Practices of Looking is its thorough treatment of the conceptual and material landscape of postmodern visual culture, and this definitely distinguishes it from similar textbooks I've seen." -- Kent N. Lowery, Texas Tech University " Practices of Looking , Third Edition, is a great and valuable textbook for teaching a broad range of critical and theoretical approaches in modern and contemporary visual practices."--Whitney Huber, Columbia College Chicago "Practices of Looking's ambitions are unparalleled and it's clear that the writers are deeply engaged with the social, psychological and economic consequences of the ways in which images influence how we see ourselves and the world around us." -- Jawad Ali, Art Institute of California, Hollywood "The greatest strength of Practices of Looking , Third Edition, is its relentless drive to instill critical awareness in students. This book contributes greatly to promoting the type of visual literacy that is needed in society both now and in the foreseeable future."--William H. Lawson, California State University, East Bay An invaluable guide to understanding the complexities, contradictions, and pleasures of the visual world Marita Sturken, New York University Lisa Cartwright, University of California at San Diego