Suchergebnisse

Für diese Dissertation wurden exemplarisch acht intentionale Gemeinschaften in Form von Ökodörfern im internationalen Kontext untersucht, die als reale Versuche, eine "Kultur der Nachhaltigkeit" zu gestalten, betrachtet werden. Der Schwerpunkt lag hierbei auf psychologischen und sozialen Aspekten der Nachhaltigkeit. Aufgrund der bislang noch geringen wissenschaftlichen Erschließung des Untersuchungs-feldes wurde ein explorativer Forschungsansatz mit qualitativen Methoden gewählt. Desweiteren wurde ein theoriegeleitetes und empirisch validiertes Modell entwickelt, die "Psychologischen Deskriptoren einer Kultur der Nachhaltigkeit (PDKN)", um die Gestaltung einer Kultur der Nachhaltigkeit beschreibbar und methodisch erfassbar zu machen. Die Studie beinhaltet einerseits explorative Zielsetzungen (Rekonstruktion und Untersuchung von Strukturen und Ansätzen der Gestaltung einer Kultur der Nachhaltigkeit), andererseits auch eine Überprüfung und Modifikation der theoretischen Vorstrukturierung in Form der PDKN. Es wurden drei Forschungsziele (FZ) festgelegt. FZ1 bezieht sich auf die Gewinnung systematischer Erkenntnisse über eine Gestaltung einer Kultur der Nachhaltigkeit in Ökodörfern. Gegenstand des FZ2 ist die Transaktionalität zwischen Individuum und Setting hinsichtlich eines auf Nachhaltigkeit ausgerichteten Erlebens und Verhaltens. Das dritte Forschungsziel (FZ3) richtet sich auf eine Validierung des zugrunde gelegten Modells der PDKN und darüber hinaus auf die Entwicklung eines Orientierungsschemas für die Gestaltung einer Kultur der Nachhaltigkeit. Als Methoden kamen neben umfassender Literaturrecherche und Dokumentenanalyse, vor allem im Rahmen der Feldforschung Befragungsverfahren (halbstrukturierte Interviews mit "Experten" bzw. relativ neuen Mitgliedern eines Ökodorfes) und Beobachtungsverfahren zum Einsatz. Insgesamt gingen 42 Interviews in die Studie ein, die theoriegeleitet kodiert und inhaltsanalytisch aufbereitet wurden. Um Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede der untersuchten Projekte exemplarisch darzustellen, werden in der Arbeit drei ausführliche Fallanalysen präsentiert (Ökodorf Sieben Linden, BRD; Ecovillage at Ithaca, USA; Twin Oaks Intentional Community, USA). Bezüglich des Forschungsziels 1 ließen sich u.a. durch Fallkontrastierungen aller untersuchten Ökodörfer Elemente und Dynamiken einer Gestaltung einer Kultur der Nachhaltigkeit näher bestimmen. Es ergaben sich dabei sechs Umsetzungsbereiche der Gestaltung: a) Soziale Strukturen – Miteinander leben, b) Technisch – materieller Bereich, c) Kunst und Ästhetik, d) Werte und Normen – Kollektive Repräsentationen, e) Bildung und Wissen, f) Institutionell – politischer Bereich. Bezüglich des FZ2 wurde deutlich, dass das Setting eines Ökodorfes Valenzen für nachhaltiges Handeln bildet, d.h. von Aspekten der Nachhaltigkeit geprägtes Erleben und Verhalten wird für Personen in einem Ökodorf zunehmend "normal". Dieser Prozess stellt sich als ein transaktionaler dar, denn die Personen wirken durch ihr Erleben und Verhalten auch wieder auf Kontextfaktoren ein. Ein weiteres Ergebnis dieser Forschungsarbeit ist die Bedeutung, die einer "Verbundenheit" auf verschiedenen Ebenen (intrapersonal, interpersonal, kontextuell und transpersonal) zukommt. "Verbundenheit" hat dabei eine Funktion als Moderatorvariable in dem wechselseitigen Einfluss, den Kontext und Individuum aufeinander ausüben. Die mit dem Forschungsziel 3 angestrebte Validierung des Modells der "Psychologischen Deskriptoren einer Kultur der Nachhaltigkeit" erwies sich als erfolgreich. Es waren nach Analyse der erhobenen Daten nur relativ geringe Modifikationen erforderlich. Somit zeigten sich die PDKN als ein geeignetes Ordnungsschema für die Bildung von Kategorien, die einen adäquaten Forschungszugang zum Bereich einer Kultur der Nachhaltigkeit darstellen. Als heuristisches Orientierungsschema für den Gestaltungprozess einer gesellschaftlichen Transformation wurde das "Rad der Nachhaltigkeit" entwickelt. Dieses bietet mit seinen drei Ebenen (Systembedingungen, Umsetzung, menschliche Bedürfnisse) und der Möglichkeit der Kombination ihrer inhaltlichen Aspekte, Anregungen und Orientierung für Theorie und Praxis. Die Ergebnisse der vorliegenden Arbeit sind besonders relevant im Hinblick auf die derzeit entstehende "Transformationsforschung", bei der u.a. die transformativen Potentiale von "Pionieren des Wandels" für breitere gesellschaftliche Kontexte erforscht werden soll. Ökodörfer können hierbei hervorragend als "Reallabore für die Transformation" fungieren. Für die Generierung von übertragbarem Transformationswissen, steht dafür weitere Elaborierung an, sowohl des Forschungsfeldes, wie auch der strukturellen Geeignetheit von Ökodörfern für transdisziplinäre Forschungskooperation. ; For this dissertation eight intentional communities in the form of ecovillages were examined to gain insights about their attempts to create a "culture of sustainability". The research focused on psychological and social aspects of sustainability. Due to the spare state of the art concerning research about ecovillages as well as cultural aspects of sustainability an explorative research designs using qualitative methods was decided on. To investigate in and to describe the transition towards a culture of sustainability a model named "Psychological Descriptors of a Culture of Sustainability (PDCS) was established. The study includes explorative aims (reconstruction and examination of structures and attempts of designing a culture of sustainability) as well as confirmatory aspects (validation and modification of the PDCS). Three research objectives were named: The first one (RO1) were set to gain knowledge about the design of a culture of sustainability in ecovillages. The second objective (RO2) is dealing with the transaction between the environment and the individual concerning "sustainable" experience and behavior. The third objective (RO3) was to validate the PDCS and to generate a scheme for orientation towards the design of a culture of sustainability. Review of literature, analysis of documents and field research (interviews and participant observation) formed the set of methods. Main part of analysis were the transcription and interpretation of 42 semi-structured interviews. To show similarities and differences of the investigated ecovillages three detailed case studies are presented (Ecovillage Sieben Linden, Germany; Ecovillage at Ithaca, USA; Twin Oaks Intentional Community, USA). Concerning the RO1, elements and dynamics of a transition towards a culture of sustainability were gained through contrasting the eight case studies. Thereby six realms of implementation evolved: a) social structures – living together, b) technical – material realm, c) art and aesthetic, d) norm and values – collective representations, f) institutional – political realm. Concerning the RO2 it became obvious that the setting of an ecovillage creates valences for acting towards sustainability. That means "sustainable" experience and behavior is getting normal for people in ecovillages and is no longer only an act of voluntary. This process is transactional, because the inhabitants of ecovillages are also shaping the context by their experiences and behaviors. One of the results of this study is the importance of "connectedness", conceptualized on four levels (intrapersonal, interpersonal, contextual, transpersonal). Connectedness seems to have a function as a moderator in the reciprocal relation between environment and individual. The PDCS were validated as very functional and only few modifications took place. As a heuristic scheme for the design of a culture of sustainability the "Wheel of Sustainability" (WoS) were generated. The results of this study are eminently relevant concerning the developing "transformation research", in which the transformative potentials of "pioneers of change" for wider social contexts are examined. Ecovillages could therefore, despite further elaborations of ecovillages and ecovillage research are necessary, serve pretty well as "laboratories for transformation".

In light of the limited achievements of the Arab Spring and other pro-democracy movements, volume 39 examines and unpacks arguments that these protests represent both a new phase and new prospects for democratic mobilization. The volume engages with new theoretical and methodological perspectives and illuminates novel aspects of transnational social movement dynamics, such as the evolving role of information technology, deterritorialisation and government counter-responses.

The paper presents backgrounding of sociological methodology for measuring the military identity of veterans. There are three types of military identity – stable, situational and unformed – which are compared on the following grounds: identification orientation, commitment to military experience, strength of connection with and rejection from the army, loyalty to military masculine culture, military practices execution, perception of the army as a family or as a professional organization, emotional attachment to the army, a motivational rationale for joining the army, an existential assessment of military service. The stable type of military identity manifests itself in veterans' commitment to military experience/culture after returning from the army. The situational type of military identity is characterized by "mixed" identification both with the army and with various civilian groups. The unformed type of veterans' military identity is characterized by a weak form of adherence to military experience and a strong identification with various civilian groups. The peculiarities of psychological methods of measuring military identity are considered, such as the "Warrior Identity Scale" by S. Lancaster, S. Kinchle and S. Castro, and the method of measuring four modifications of military identity (professional, idealistic, warriorism and individualistic) by R. Johansen, D. Laberg and M. Martinusen. It is concluded that in a sociological study, it is necessary to take into account the influence of demographic and social factors on formation of military identity, such as gender, time spent in the army, education level, age of conscription, place of residence, motivation to join the army, marital status and the presence/ absence of traumatic combat experience. ; В статье представлено обоснование социологической методики измерения милитарной идентичности ветеранов вооруженных конфликтов. Выделены три типа милитарной идентичности – устойчивый, ситуативный и несформированный, которые сравниваются по следующим основаниям: направленность идентификации, приверженность милитарному опыту, сила связи и сила отторжения от армии, лояльность к милитарной маскулинной культуре, осуществление воинских практик, восприятие армии как семьи либо как профессиональной организации, эмоциональная привязанность к армии, мотивационное обоснование прихода в армию, экзистенциальная оценка службы в армии. Устойчивый тип милитарной идентичности проявляется в глубокой приверженности ветерана милитарному опыту/культуре после возвращения из армии. Ситуативный тип милитарной идентичности характеризуется «смешанной» формой идентификации как с армией, так и с различными гражданскими группами, причем каждая из этих форм может быть актуализирована в зависимости от контекста/ситуации. Несформированный тип милитарной идентичности характеризуется отсутствием или слабой формой приверженности армейскому опыту, а также сильной идентификацией ветерана с различными гражданскими группами. Рассмотрены особенности таких психологических методик измерения милитарной идентичности, как «Шкала милитарной идентичности» С. Ланкастера, С. Кинчле и С. Кастро и методика измерения четырех модификаций милитарной идентичности (профессиональной, идеалистической, воинской (Warriorism) и индивидуалистической) Р. Йохансена, Д. Лаберга и М. Мартинусена. Сделан вывод, что в социологическом исследовании необходимо учитывать влияние на формирование милитарной идентичности таких демографических и социальных факторов, как пол, время пребывания в армии, уровень образования, возраст призыва, место жительства, мотивация прихода в армию, семейное положение, наличие/отсутствие травматического боевого опыта. ; У статті представлено обґрунтування соціологічної методики вимірювання мілітарної ідентичності ветеранів збройних конфліктів. Виокремлено три типи мілітарної ідентичності – стійкий, ситуативний і несформований – які порівнюються за таких підстав: спрямованість ідентифікації, прихильність до мілітарного досвіду, сила зв'язку і сила відторгнення від армії, лояльність до мілітарної маскулінної культури, здійснення військових практик, сприйняття армії як сім'ї або як професійної організації, емоційна прив'язаність до армії, мотиваційне обґрунтування приходу в армію, екзистенційна оцінка служби в армії. Стійкий тип мілітарної ідентичності проявляється в прихильності ветерана мілітарному досвіду/культурі після повернення з армії. Ситуативний тип характеризується «змішаною» ідентифікацією ветерана як з армією, так і з різними цивільними групами; кожна з цих форм актуалізується залежно від контексту/ситуації. Несформований тип мілітарної ідентичності характеризується відсутністю (або слабкою формою) прихильності армійському досвіду, а також сильною ідентифікацією ветерана з різними цивільними групами. Розглянуто особливості таких психологічних методик вимірювання мілітарної ідентичності, як «Шкала мілітарної ідентичності» С. Ланкастера, С. Кінчле і С. Кастро та методика вимірювання чотирьох модифікацій мілітарної ідентичності (професійної, ідеалістичної, військової та індивідуалістичної) Р. Йохансена, Д. Лаберга і М. Мартінусена. Зроблено висновок, що в соціологічному дослідженні необхідно враховувати вплив на формування мілітарної ідентичності таких демографічних та соціальних чинників, як стать, час перебування в армії, рівень освіти, вік призову в армію, місце проживання, мотивація приходу в армію, сімейний стан, наявність/відсутність травматичного бойового досвіду.

The historiography of World War II is one of the most extensive research topics in historical science. Over the years, a comprehensive study of the military, political and economic history of wartime has been conducted. Particular attention during recent decades has been given to the social aspects of the war. However, the topic of social cohesion in the warring countries remains insufficiently analyzed. Thus, the main objective of the article is to analyze the current state of research on social cohesion in the context of World War II in contemporary British, German and Russian historical literature. The present study of the reflection of cohesion problems in Soviet Union, Great Britain and Germany during World War II is based on the principles of a new interdisciplinary branch of social science – anthropology of war. It integrates the achievements, subject areas and research tools of history, sociology, military psychology, cultural studies, pedagogy, medicine and other disciplines that study the existence of people and society at large in wartime conditions. A comparative analysis of the chosen historiography shows that at the present stage there is a commonality of approaches among historians related to interest in certain personalities, everyday life during World War II and war's gender dimension. The differences in assessments and methods are determined by the role and place of a particular state in the military-political confrontation as well as by prevailing historiographical paradigms. In any case, the theme of social cohesion was not adequately reflected in these studies. In conclusion, the authors note the research potential of analyzing the problems of social cohesion during World War II.

ABSTRACTLittle attention has been given in policy analysis to the creative process of designing solutions to public policy problems. There are a number of difficulties in applying macro-level theories – whether from economics, sociology, philosophy or macro-systems theory – in the policy process. Any macro-level theory will tend to provide inadequate guidance in one or more of three aspects of policy-making: a model of causation, a model for evaluating alternatives and outcomes, and a model of how interventions operate. Our current knowledge about which policy strategies work best under which conditions is at best rudimentary. Academic disciplinary perspectives focus on a narrow repertoire of policy instruments. What is required is a design focus which draws on instruments associated with a range of disciplines and professions. A design perspective involves both a systematic process for generating basic strategies and a framework for comparing them. Such an approach will require at least the following elements: (1) the characteristics of problems (scale, collectiveness, certainty, predictability, independence); (2) characteristics of goals (value-laden, operational, process of goal-setting); (3) characteristics of instruments (suitability of different instruments).

Leading media scholars consider the social and cultural changes that come with the contemporary development of ubiquitous computing. Ubiquitous computing and our cultural life promise to become completely interwoven: technical currents feed into our screen culture of digital television, video, home computers, movies, and high-resolution advertising displays. Technology has become at once larger and smaller, mobile and ambient. In Throughout , leading writers on new media -- including Jay David Bolter, Mark Hansen, N. Katherine Hayles, and Lev Manovich -- take on the crucial challenges that ubiquitous and pervasive computing pose for cultural theory and criticism. The thirty-four contributing researchers consider the visual sense and sensations of living with a ubicomp culture; electronic sounds from the uncanny to the unremarkable; the effects of ubicomp on communication, including mobility, transmateriality, and infinite availability; general trends and concrete specificities of interaction designs; the affectivity in ubicomp experiences, including performances; context awareness; and claims on the real in the use of such terms as augmented reality and mixed reality.

Lara Jüssen takes the case of Latin American household and construction workers in Madrid to show how ir/regular labour migrants make citizenship available for themselves through emplacements, embodiments and enactments of citizenship. After describing the sociopolitical context of crisis and resistance in Spain, citizenship is anthropologized in order to approach it through the workplace: the private household and the construction site. Based on empirical results from interviews, it is analyzed how citizenship is emplaced through ego-centered networks and assemblages that situate the migrants' social belonging; how it is embodied through carving out of identities of the migrant workers, intersectionality of gender, ethnicity, and class, affects that imprint workers' bodies, and experiences of violence at the workplace; then citizenships' enactment is scrutinized through workers' empowerment for rights, individually at the workplace and collectively through demonstrations and political theater performance in urban public space. Contents Latin American labour migration to Madrid Citizenship theory Actor-centered approach based on emplacement, embodiment, and enactment of citizenship Social relations at the workplace Target Groups Scholars of migration sociology, anthropology, and social sciences Practicioners interested in political economy, gender, labour, and migration studies The Author Lara Jüssen is a cultural and social anthropologist with specialization in migration sociology

La globalización neoliberal de las últimas décadas ha traído aparejadas inmensas transforma- ciones económicas, políticas y sociales. La reorganización del sistema capitalista que surge de este periodo se ha concretado en el incremento de la vulnerabilidad y las desigualdades sociales, dando lugar a la emergencia de la llamada 'nueva cuestión social'. El planteamiento que aquí se sigue investiga el papel que el conocimiento científico y la tecnociencia juegan en el capitalismo cognitivo como intensificadores de las formas de desigualdad. Atender esto resulta necesario para entender y completar la comprensión de las diferentes dimensiones de las desigualdades económicas, sociales y culturales de la actual globalización neoliberal. La tesis de fondo sostiene que en el actual capitalismo cognitivo no se puede habla de sociedades democráticas, con rigor científico, mientras no se hayan democratizado las decisiones sobre los usos sociales de la ciencia. Palabras clave: sociología de la ciencia, cambio social, sociología crítica Abstract During last decades, the neoliberal globalisation came together with enormous economical, political and social transformations for our society. The reorganisation of the capitalist system that comes out during this period is socially materialised throw the increment of social vulner- ability and the increase of social inequalities; those realities promoted the emergency of the so called 'new social question'. The approach that follows, sustains that the research about the roll that scientific knowledge and techno-science have got in the cognitive capitalism as intensifiers of the inequalities forms, is needed in order to understand and complete the comprehension of the diverse dimensions of the economical, social and cultural inequalities of the current neoliberal globalisation. The main thesis sustains that in the current cognitive capitalism it is not possible to talk about democratic societies, with scientific rigor, unless the decisions about the social uses of the science had been democratised. Key words: sociology of science, social change, critical sociology

Non-governmental organisations are acknowledged for their contributions by playing a vital role in promoting social justice and human rights, advocating for marginalised groups, and empowering them to voice their concerns. NGOs collaborate with both the government and private sector. NGOs enable communities to engage in decision-making processes. Additionally, they often work on the ground, providing direct support and resources to communities in need, thereby addressing immediate needs and working towards long-term solutions. They are critical in achieving sustainable development goals, like improving health and eradicating poverty. Despite the advantages, there is uncertainty because aspects of their sustainability have yet to be thoroughly studied, especially in the Malaysian context. This study was therefore carried out to evaluate the study objectives and determine whether the interview questions were appropriate. This study used an entirely qualitative method. Two staff members from one social welfare NGO were interviewed. The results reveal that the interview questions were appropriate for the study objectives, with some corrections needed. The corrections required were primarily in the wording and clarity of the questions, but overall, the qualitative method effectively gathered relevant information from the staff.

Blending personal experience with rigorous study, this explosive manifesto rails against what it presents as the resurgent sexual fascism of the new world order. By exposing everything from the casual acceptance of snuff pornography in "gore" culture to the framing of rape as a punch line, Abigail Bray links the celebration of sexual sadism to the rise of an authoritarian culture of militarized violence. Arguing that a meaningful collective resistance has been undermined by the mass destruction of genuine social and economic security for ordinar

Labor market inclusion is a complex assignment that takes place through a dynamic interaction between unemployed individuals from vulnerable groups, several authority actors and employers. The overall aim of this thesis was to explore the social dynamics of labor market inclusion, with a particular focus on integration, from the perspectives of employers and authority actors. Three empirical studies have been conducted focusing on different perspectives and integration challenges, using various forms of qualitative methods and theoretical approaches. Study I was a qualitative phenomenographic interview study of employers' perspectives on labor market inclusion and intersectoral integration. The study showed that employers' views are multifaceted and can be categorized as constrained, independent, and conditional, and can be understood through a complex internal relationship between conceived individual-, workplace- and authority-related aspects in relation to the themes of trust, contribution, and support (paper I). Study II was a two-year longitudinal case study of an interorganizational integration project, focusing on the authority actors' perspectives. Through ethnographic fieldwork and a practice-theory approach, two divergent rationalities (an empowerment rationality and a coordinating rationality) were identified within the project organization, and four central concepts were highlighted – communication, trust, structure, and steering – contributing to a collapse in integration (paper II). The dysfunctional group processes were further analyzed with the theory of negative effects of social capital and shadow organizing, summarized as three social dynamics: insulation, homogenization, and escalating commitment (paper III). Study III was a one-year longitudinal case study of a municipal intraorganizational integration project focusing on the perspectives of both authority actors and municipal employers. This study combined ethnographic field work with the theory of social representations, which visualized three different representations among the different professional groups – individual-, employer-, and political-oriented – which contributed to creating tensions within the project, identified as incomprehension, power struggles, expectation gaps, and distrust (paper IV). By studying two labor market inclusion projects through shadow organizing, the thesis has revealed a complex and dynamic interplay between the various views of the actors involved, as well as social processes within the project organizations and organizational aspects, referred to as social dynamics. These social dynamics constitute the key concepts in this thesis, contributing understanding about how integration and organization work within labor market inclusion projects, or rather, what makes them fail. Three social dynamics were identified: multiple and conflicting views, grouping processes, and power struggles. Greater knowledge and awareness of these complex and social dynamics of labor market inclusion may contribute to better preparedness when organizing integration projects. The results suggest that by identifying and addressing the multiple views characterizing integration projects and not letting incomprehension dominate, the destructive social dynamics may not be given as much space, or may even be avoided, which may stimulate a willingness to integrate rather than the opposite.

Although advocacy is a central aspect of social work practice, there is considerable variation in its purpose, aims, and roles within human services, infusing it with a rich and diverse character. On the basis of a differentiation of who controls the ends or outcomes of advocacy and who controls its means or process, the authors offer a differential model that encompasses four major traditions of advocacy within the profession: protecting the vulnerable, creating supports to enhance functioning, protecting and advancing claims or appeals, and fostering identity and control. The authors then identify four forms of advocacy and examine the conditions under which social workers are likely to employ each of the four variants.

This edited book brings together new perspectives on fashion, the body, and politics. The intention of this collection is to explore the cultural intersection between bodies, fashion, and transgression, often in the most unlikely of locations. Bodies are political players in culture and the authors gathered here ask a range of pressing questions. What role do fashioned bodies play in resistance, in meeting governmental boundaries or institutional power? Arguably, fashion is an aspect of modern warfare and style can defend and attack in cultural space. So, how do fashioned bodies occupy the grey area between social control and the resistance to power? This book is interdisciplinary and international, with contributors situated within a broad range of disciplines including Art History and Critical Practice, Cultural Studies, Fashion Critical Studies, Film and Literary Studies, Performance Studies, Politics and International Studies, Sociology, Gender, Queer, LGBTI, and Critical Race Studies. Royce Mahawatte is Senior Lecturer in Cultural Studies at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London and a member of the faculty at NYU London, UK. He is the author of George Eliot and the Gothic Novel (2013) and has published journal articles in Womens Writing and Sexualities, and the chapters Fashion and Adornment in A Cultural History of Hair (2018) and 'The Sad Fortunes of Stylish Things: George Eliot and the Languages of Fashion' in Communicating Transcultural Fashion Narratives (2018). He is also Director of Research at the think tank Fashion Roundtable, and during 2020-2021 was a Heinz Heinen Fellow at the Centre for Dependency and Slavery Studies, University of Bonn, Germany. Jacki Willson is Associate Professor in Performance and Gender in the School of Performance and Cultural Industries at the University of Leeds, UK. She has published two monographs The Happy Stripper: Pleasure and Politics of the New Burlesque (2008) and Being Gorgeous: Feminism, Sexuality and the Pleasures of the Visual (2015) and one edited collection, Revisiting the Gaze: The Fashioned Body and the Politics of Looking (2020). She is Principal Investigator of a three-year AHRC-funded project, Fabulous Femininities: Extravagant Costume and Transformative Thresholds (2020-).

"This comprehensive text explores the relationship between identity, subjectivity and digital communication, providing a strong starting point for understanding how fast-changing communication technologies, platforms, applications and practices have an impact on how we perceive ourselves, others, relationships and bodies. Drawing on critical studies of identity, behaviour and representation, Identity and Digital Communication demonstrates how identity is shaped and understood in the context of significant and ongoing shifts in online communication. Chapters cover a range of topics including advances in social networking, the development of deepfake videos, intimacies of everyday communication, the emergence of cultures based on algorithms, the authenticities of TikTok, and online communication's setting as a site for hostility and hate speech. Throughout the text, author Rob Cover shows how the formation and curation of self-identity is increasingly performed and engaged with through digital cultural practices, affirming that these practices must be understood if we are to make sense of identity in the 2020s and beyond. Featuring critical accounts, everyday examples, and analysis of key platforms such as TikTok, this textbook is an essential primer for scholars and students in media studies, psychology, cultural studies, sociology, anthropology, computer science, as well as health practitioners, mental health advocates and community members"--

Intro -- International Texts In Critical Media Aesthetics -- Title -- Copyright -- Dedication -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- Understanding media -- Software, or the engine of contemporary societies -- What is software studies? -- Cultural software -- Media applications -- From documents to performances -- Why the history of cultural software does not exist -- Summary of the book's narrative -- PART 1 Inventing media software -- 1 Alan Kay's universal media machine -- Appearance versus function -- "Simulation is the central notion of the Dynabook" -- The permanent extendibility -- The computer as a metamedium -- 2 Understanding metamedia -- The building blocks -- Media-independent vs. media-specific techniques -- Inside Photoshop -- There is only software -- PART 2 Hybridization and evolution -- 3 Hybridization -- Hybridity vs. multimedia -- The evolution of a computer metamedium -- Hybridity: examples -- Strategies of hybridization -- 4 Soft evolution -- Algorithms and data structures -- What is a "medium"? -- The metamedium or the monomedium? -- The evolution of media species -- PART 3 Software in action -- 5 Media design -- After Effects and the invisible revolution -- The aesthetics of hybridity -- Deep remixability -- Layers, transparency, compositing -- After Effects interface: from "time-based" to "composition-based" -- 3D space as a media design platform -- Import/export: design workflow -- Variable form -- Amplification -- Conclusion -- Software, hardware, and social media -- Media after software -- Software epistemology -- Index.