Remediation: Understanding New Media – Jay David Bolter, Richard Grusin – 1999
Remediation: Understanding New Media
Jay David Bolter and Richard Grusin’s Remediation: Understanding New Media, published in 1999, examines the pervasive logic of remediation – the way new media constantly reference, rework, and re-present older media forms. The authors argue that new media do not simply replace old media; rather, they build upon and redefine them through a process of constant referencing and re-imagining. This process isn’t about improvement, but about a fundamental shift in how media functions and is perceived. The book explores how digital media, such as the internet and virtual reality, ‘remediate’ print, photography, film, and television.
Historical / Cultural Context
Published at the cusp of the 21st century, Remediation arose during a period of rapid technological change and increasing anxiety about the impact of digital media on culture and society. The rise of the internet and the World Wide Web fundamentally altered communication, information access, and artistic expression. The authors position their work within media studies, but the concepts have relevance to broader discussions of cultural memory, technological determinism, and the nature of representation. They respond to McLuhan’s ideas of media as extensions of man, but temper them with the notion of a continuous, iterative relationship between media forms. The book addresses the anxieties around the perceived ‘loss’ of authenticity in the digital age and questions the idea of a wholly ‘new’ media.
Who This Book Is For
This work is primarily aimed at students and scholars in media studies, communication, and cultural studies. However, its exploration of the fundamental principles of media and representation makes it accessible to readers with a general interest in understanding the evolution of technology and its impact on culture. The book’s theoretical framework provides a lens for analyzing a wide range of media phenomena, from websites and video games to virtual reality and digital art. It requires some familiarity with media theory but avoids overly technical jargon.
Further Reading
- Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man by Marshall McLuhan: A foundational text in media studies that explores the impact of technology on human perception.
- The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction by Walter Benjamin: A classic essay that examines the changing aura of art in the age of reproduction.
- Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide by Henry Jenkins: Explores the interplay between different media platforms and the emergence of participatory culture.
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