Media Studies 2.0

All you want to know about Media Studies 2.0

David Gauntlett (born 1971) is a sociologist specialising in the study of contemporary media audiences, and the role of media in shaping self-identity. He took his PhD and then taught at the University of Leeds, UK, from 1993 to 2002, then was appointed Professor of Media and Audiences at Bournemouth University, UK. In 2006 he joined the School of Media, Arts and Design at University of Westminster, London, as Professor of Media and Communications.

Gauntlett's critique of media 'effects' studies sparked controversy in 1995 [1] [2], and since then he has published a number of books and research on the role of popular media in people's lives [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]. In particular he has focused on the way in which digital media is changing the experience of media in general [9] [10] [11] [12].

Since the late 1990s he has produced the website Theory.org.uk [13].

In 2007, he was shortlisted for the 'Young Academic Author of the Year' award in the Times Higher awards [14]. (Ultimately the award was won by historian Richard Toye).

Contents

New creative research methods

This approach asks participants to make something as part of the research process [15]. Gauntlett's work of this kind began with Video Critical (1997) [16], in which children were asked to make videos about the environment, and then in a number of projects which are discussed in Creative Explorations (2007) [17]. As well as studies in which participants have been invited to make video, diaries, collage, and drawings, Gauntlett has explored the use of Lego Serious Play as a tool in sociology and social research [18]. This approach makes use of metaphor and invites participants to build metaphorical models of their identities. The process of making something, and then reflecting upon it, is claimed to give a more nuanced insight into participants' feelings or experiences [17] [19].

This work has been supported by awards from the Arts and Humanities Research Council [20] [21].

Media Studies 2.0

In 2007, Gauntlett published online the article Media Studies 2.0, which created some discussion amongst media studies educators [22] [23] [24] [9] [25] [26] [27]. The article argues that the traditional form of media studies teaching and research fails to recognise the changing media landscape in which the categories of 'audiences' and 'producers' blur together, and in which new research methods and approaches are needed. Andy Ruddock has written that Gauntlett's "ironic polemic" includes "much to value", and acknowledges that the argument "is more strategy than creed", but argues that audiences still exist, and experience mass media specifically as audience, and so it would be premature to dispose of the notion of 'audience' altogether[28]. Ruddock also connects the work with earlier and more rigorous critiques of audience studies such as those by Sonia Livingstone of the London School of Economics. Not everyone in the academic community was impressed with Gauntlett's work in this area, with one comment on the MECSSA discussion board reading, 'Isn't it odd that whenever someone purportedly identifies a new paradigm, they see themselves as already a leading practitioner of it ?'

Now with discussions around Web 3.0, identified by McKinsey as a return of knowledge to the experts (see the Financial Times, June 2008) it will be of interest to see how this applied to media studies.

External links

References

  1. ^ David Gauntlett (1995), Moving Experiences: Understanding Television's Influences and Effects, London: John Libbey
  2. ^ David Gauntlett (2005), Moving Experiences, second edition: Media Effects and Beyond, London: John Libbey
  3. ^ Will Woodward (1999), 'Viewers admit their guilt at watching too much TV', The Guardian newspaper, Friday April 30 1999
  4. ^ David Gauntlett and Annette Hill (1999), TV Living: Television, Culture and Everyday Life, London: Routledge
  5. ^ Charlie Peverett (2002), Review of 'Media, Gender and Identity', HERO : The official online gateway to Higher Education, 2002
  6. ^ David Gauntlett (2002, second edition 2008), Media, Gender and Identity, London: Routledge
  7. ^ AHRC Case Studies: Young People's Engagement with Online Immersive Worlds, Arts and Humanities Research Council, May 2008
  8. ^ Dan Sabbagh (2008), 'Viewers Boys and girls stay in to play on BBC's virtual island Adventure Rock', The Times newspaper, May 22, 2008
  9. ^ a b Julian McDougall (2007), 'Creative Transformations: What to do with "Media 2.0"?', In The Picture - The Media Education Magazine, Issue 58, November 2007
  10. ^ David Gauntlett (2000), 'A double dose of digital drivel', The Times Higher Educational Supplement, 22 September 2000
  11. ^ David Gauntlett, ed (2000), Web.Studies: Rewiring Media Studies For The Digital Age, London: Arnold
  12. ^ David Gauntlett and Ross Horsley, eds (2004), Web.Studies: Second edition, London: Arnold
  13. ^ Times Higher Education (1999), 'Fou.cault.uk', 19 March 1999
  14. ^ Times Higher Educational Supplement, Awards Shortlist, September 2007.
  15. ^ University of Oslo (2007), Creative Production, Self-expression and Identity, Intermedia, University of Oslo
  16. ^ David Gauntlett (1997), Video Critical: Children, The Environment and Media Power, London: John Libbey
  17. ^ a b David Gauntlett (2007), Creative Explorations: New approaches to identities and audiences, London: Routledge
  18. ^ Anthea Lipsett (2005), 'Lego and professor click over research', The Times Higher Educational Supplement, 8 April 2005
  19. ^ Representing Identities, part one (2008), video about creative methods research, on YouTube
  20. ^ Arts and Humanities Research Council, list of research awards
  21. ^ Times Higher Education (2008), 'Grant winners', 7 February 2008
  22. ^ British Film Institute, Media Studies Conference 2007, 4-6 July 2007
  23. ^ Transforming Audiences International Conference, 6-7 September 2007
  24. ^ Andy Ruddock (2008), 'Media Studies 2.0? Binge Drinking and Why Audiences Still Matter', Sociology Compass, Volume 2 Issue 1 Page 1-15, January 2008.
  25. ^ 'Towards a Brave New World? The Media Studies 2.0 Debate', presentation by Geoff Lealand, University of Waikato, at AMES conference, May 2007
  26. ^ Blog/forum about Media Studies 2.0 by William Merrin
  27. ^ 'Micromedia: The Power of Many Ones' by Ravindra Mohabeer
  28. ^ Andy Ruddock (2008), 'Media Studies 2.0? Binge Drinking and Why Audiences Still Matter', Sociology Compass, Volume 2 Issue 1 Page 1-15, January 2008.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Gauntlett"

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