Noël Carroll (ed.): Theories of Art Today (2000)

“What is art? The contributors to Theories of Art Today address the assertion that the term ‘art’ no longer holds meaning. They explore a variety of issues including: aesthetic and institutional theories of art, feminist perspectives on the philosophy of art, the question of whether art is a cluster concept, and the relevance of tribal art to philosophical aesthetics. Contributors to this book include Arthur Danto, Joseph Margolis, and George Dickie.”

Publisher University of Wisconsin Press, 2000
ISBN 0299163547, 9780299163549
280 pages

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Henry Jenkins: Convergence Culture – Where Old and New Media Collide (2006)

Convergence Culture maps a new territory: where old and new media intersect, where grassroots and corporate media collide, where the power of the media producer and the power of the consumer interact in unpredictable ways.

Henry Jenkins, one of America’s most respected media analysts, delves beneath the new media hype to uncover the important cultural transformations that are taking place as media converge. He takes us into the secret world of Survivor Spoilers, where avid internet users pool their knowledge to unearth the show’s secrets before they are revealed on the air. He introduces us to young Harry Potter fans who are writing their own Hogwarts tales while executives at Warner Brothers struggle for control of their franchise. He shows us how The Matrix has pushed transmedia storytelling to new levels, creating a fictional world where consumers track down bits of the story across multiple media channels.Jenkins argues that struggles over convergence will redefine the face of American popular culture. Industry leaders see opportunities to direct content across many channels to increase revenue and broaden markets. At the same time, consumers envision a liberated public sphere, free of network controls, in a decentralized media environment. Sometimes corporate and grassroots efforts reinforce each other, creating closer, more rewarding relations between media producers and consumers. Sometimes these two forces are at war.

Jenkins provides a riveting introduction to the world where every story gets told and every brand gets sold across multiple media platforms. He explains the cultural shift that is occurring as consumers fight for control across disparate channels, changing the way we do business, elect our leaders, and educate our children.

Publisher NYU Press, 2006
ISBN 0814742815, 9780814742815
Length 308 pages

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Edward Tenner: Why Things Bite Back: Technology and the Revenge of Unintended Consequences (1997)

If computers really eliminate paperwork, why is the office recycling bin always overflowing? Why are the lines before the bank’s ATMs often longer than the ones at the tellers’ windows? Anyone who has ever pondered those questions will delight in Why Things Bite Back, a perceptive, provocative, and wryly funny look at the frustrating “revenge effects” of our most vaunted technologies.

Edward Tenner’s book is rich in examples of backfiring innovations: from “low tar” cigarettes that drive smokers to smoke more to antibiotics that breed new, resistant strains of bacteria. More important, Tenner shows us what we must do to survive in a world where — despite technology’s advances — “reality is always gaining on us”.

Publisher Bt Bound, 1997
ISBN 0613913922, 9780613913928

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