Making Sense of Media is a lively and accessible text that helps readers understand mass media and the texts they carry. Designed expressly for those interested in gaining a solid understanding of the media and how they work, it is an indispensable book. * Offers a lively, accessible, and concise t[...]
In this book, pre-eminent semiotician Arthur Asa Berger decodes the meanings of common objects of consumption and their perceived 'sacredness' in consumerist cultures. Using semiotic theory, consumer culture is dissected in new and fascinating ways.[...]
Are Americans obsessed with shopping? Shop 'til You Drop is a lively look at our consumer culture and its role in our everyday lives and society. Is the United States different from other first-world nations in the amount of time we spend shopping or in our attitudes toward consumption? Are we one u[...]
In The Portable Postmodernist, Arthur Asa Berger introduces key concepts written by postmodernism's leading theorists including Lyotard, Baudrillard, and Jameson. This collage of influential writing is followed by Berger's concise, accessible comments. Written for the newcomer, Berger's lucid explan[...]
Arthur Asa Berger elucidates narrative theory and applies it to readers' everyday experiences with popular forms of mass media. This unique book demonstrates how to interpret narratives while presenting the analysis in an accessible manner.[...]
The island of Bali has long been characterized in the West as the last "paradise" on earth, but there is far more to this small Indonesian province. Bali Tourism presents an enlightening ethnographic study of some of the most important icons-for tourists and locals alike-in Balinese culture and soci[...]
An introduction to genre analysis, this highly readable volume presents key concepts in an accessible manner for undergraduate courses in film, TV, media criticism and cultural studies. The texts are representative of horror, science fiction, spy, classic detective, and tough guy detective genres, a[...]
Southwest literary humor and Yiddish humor collided in the ever-popular comic strip "Li'l Abner," From 1936 to 1977, when it ceased publication, this comic strip entertained, annoyed, riled, and amused legions of readers. Li'l Abner, Daisy Mae, Mammy and Pappy Yokum, Moonbeam McSwine, Marryin' Sam, [...]
Using a cultural approach to classical myths, this book examines how they affect psychoanalytic theory, historical experience, elite culture, popular culture, and everyday life. Berger explores diverse topics such as the Oedipus Myth, James Bond, Star Wars, and fairy tales.[...]
In the Fourth Edition of Media Analysis Techniques, author Arthur Asa Berger once again provides students with a clearly written, user-friendly, hands-on guide to media research methods and techniques. The book empowers readers to make their own analyses of the media rather than just accept how othe[...]
In this new edition, Arthur Asa Berger employs his signature style - a practical focus, the use of numerous examples, a step-by-step approach, and humour - to update and enhance this must-have introductory text. Combining both qualitative and quantitative research methods, this book covers the topic[...]
Employing his signature style-a practical focus, the use of numerous illuminating examples, an easy to follow step-by-step approach, and engaging humor that makes the material approachable-Arthur Asa Berger updates and enhances his best-selling introductory text with the third edition. He combines i[...]
This is an innovative, engaging textbook by a prolific author. It is ideal for many disciplines. Objects, artifacts, and other forms of material culture are studied in many different parts of the university. Yet there has been no introductory book that allows students to understand the many ways in [...]
A useful introduction to the critical study of tourism, this brief text applies semiotics and cultural theory to deal with some of our most iconic global destinations. It offers accessible analyses of 18 famous tourist locations from the Taj Mahal to Red Square, and from the Eiffel Tower to Antarcti[...]
Arthur Asa Berger, author of an array of texts in communication, popular culture and social theory, is back with the second edition of his popular, user-friendly guide for students who want to understand the social meanings of objects. In this broadly interdisciplinary text, Berger takes the reader [...]
Den här boken ger en introduktion till ämnesområdet kulturstudier. På ett lättfattligt sätt presenterar författaren områdets centrala teoretiker, teorier och begrepp. I sex kapitel analyseras förhållandet mellan kulturkritik och ämnen som litteraturteori, marxism, se[...]
"A Decade of Dark Humor" analyzes ways in which popular and visual culture used humor--in a variety of forms--to confront the attacks of September 11, 2001, and, more specifically, the aftermath. This interdisciplinary volume brings together scholars from four countries to discuss the impact of humo[...]