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Chapter 1. Images

Who gets what, when and how?
  • Matteo Stocchetti
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Images in Use
This chapter is in the book Images in Use

Abstract

This introductory chapter explains what it means to reinscribe the political dimension into studying images. Ever since the ‘visual turn’ was proclaimed by W. J. T. Mitchell, images have been analysed for what they ‘do’ to their observers, for the almost magical power they seem to have. In a basic category mistake, agency is ascribed to images in the discourse of visual studies. Images, however, are merely tools in the political media discourse and society’s negotiation of values. Drawing on poststructuralist analyses of the postmodern condition in late modern societies, this article ventures forth to design an ‘images in use’ approach to visual studies, which allows us to discuss power and images in political terms.

Abstract

This introductory chapter explains what it means to reinscribe the political dimension into studying images. Ever since the ‘visual turn’ was proclaimed by W. J. T. Mitchell, images have been analysed for what they ‘do’ to their observers, for the almost magical power they seem to have. In a basic category mistake, agency is ascribed to images in the discourse of visual studies. Images, however, are merely tools in the political media discourse and society’s negotiation of values. Drawing on poststructuralist analyses of the postmodern condition in late modern societies, this article ventures forth to design an ‘images in use’ approach to visual studies, which allows us to discuss power and images in political terms.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction 1
  4. Part I. Approaches to visual communication and the question of power
  5. Chapter 1. Images 11
  6. Chapter 2. The critical tradition in visual studies 39
  7. Chapter 3. The map, the mirror and the simulacrum 55
  8. Chapter 4. Disenchantment with politics and the salience of images 69
  9. Part II. Case studies
  10. Chapter 5. Organising political consensus 91
  11. Chapter 6. Walls, doors and exciting encounters 113
  12. Chapter 7. The politics of visual representation 151
  13. Chapter 8. The politics of identity and visuality 181
  14. Chapter 9. Visual politics and celebrity humanitarianism 199
  15. Chapter 10. The economics of gay reality television 225
  16. Chapter 11. Mending endings 245
  17. Chapter 12. Representing the state of exception 269
  18. Index 291
https://doi.org/10.1075/dapsac.44.03sto

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction 1
  4. Part I. Approaches to visual communication and the question of power
  5. Chapter 1. Images 11
  6. Chapter 2. The critical tradition in visual studies 39
  7. Chapter 3. The map, the mirror and the simulacrum 55
  8. Chapter 4. Disenchantment with politics and the salience of images 69
  9. Part II. Case studies
  10. Chapter 5. Organising political consensus 91
  11. Chapter 6. Walls, doors and exciting encounters 113
  12. Chapter 7. The politics of visual representation 151
  13. Chapter 8. The politics of identity and visuality 181
  14. Chapter 9. Visual politics and celebrity humanitarianism 199
  15. Chapter 10. The economics of gay reality television 225
  16. Chapter 11. Mending endings 245
  17. Chapter 12. Representing the state of exception 269
  18. Index 291
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