Visual Studies
Scope & Guideline
Illuminating the dialogue between art and society.
Introduction
Aims and Scopes
- Visual Culture and Representation:
The journal focuses on the critical examination of visual culture, analyzing how images represent and construct identities, ideologies, and social narratives. - Interdisciplinary Approaches:
It embraces interdisciplinary methodologies, integrating insights from sociology, anthropology, art history, media studies, and visual arts to provide comprehensive analyses of visual phenomena. - Socio-Political Contexts:
Research often situates visual practices within socio-political contexts, exploring themes such as activism, representation of marginalized communities, and the impact of visual media on public discourse. - Innovative Visual Methodologies:
The journal promotes innovative visual methodologies, including participatory visual research, photovoice, and ethnographic approaches, enabling researchers to engage with subjects in dynamic and meaningful ways. - Global Perspectives:
Visual Studies aims to incorporate global perspectives, addressing visual culture in diverse geographic and cultural contexts, particularly focusing on underrepresented voices and narratives.
Trending and Emerging
- Digital and Social Media:
An increasing focus on the role of digital and social media in shaping visual culture, including the analysis of memes, Instagram, and participatory media as tools for activism and identity formation. - Visual Activism and Political Representation:
Research exploring visual activism is on the rise, examining how images are used to challenge power structures, represent marginalized voices, and mobilize communities for social change. - Environmental Visual Culture:
There is a growing interest in environmental visual culture, addressing how images represent ecological issues, climate change, and the visual discourse surrounding sustainability. - Embodiment and Affective Visualities:
Emerging studies are increasingly focused on the embodied experiences of visuality and how affective dimensions shape our understanding of visual representations. - Interdisciplinary and Collaborative Practices:
A trend towards interdisciplinary and collaborative practices in visual research is evident, promoting partnerships across fields to enrich the understanding of visual culture and its impacts.
Declining or Waning
- Traditional Art Forms:
There appears to be a decreased emphasis on traditional art forms and their analysis, as contemporary studies increasingly favor digital, participatory, and multimedia approaches to visual culture. - Static Representations:
Research focusing solely on static representations, such as traditional photography or painting, is becoming less frequent, as scholars explore more dynamic and interactive forms of visual engagement. - Historical Analysis of Visual Culture:
While historical analysis has been a staple, there is a noticeable reduction in studies strictly focused on historical visual culture without connections to contemporary issues, suggesting a shift towards more current, applied research. - Aesthetic Judgments:
The focus on aesthetic judgments and the intrinsic value of art seems to be waning, as the journal shifts towards examining the socio-political implications and contexts of visual practices. - Localised Studies without Global Context:
There is a decline in localized studies that do not engage with global contexts, as the journal increasingly emphasizes the interconnectedness of visual cultures across borders.
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