What is Media Archaeology?

By: Jussi Parikka (Winchester School of Art (University of Southampton))

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Description

This cutting-edge text offers an introduction to the emerging field of media archaeology and analyses the innovative theoretical and artistic methodology used to excavate current media through its past.

Written with a steampunk attitude, What is Media Archaeology? examines the theoretical challenges of studying digital culture and memory and opens up the sedimented layers of contemporary media culture. The author contextualizes media archaeology in relation to other key media studies debates including software studies, German media theory, imaginary media research, new materialism and digital humanities.

What is Media Archaeology? advances an innovative theoretical position while also presenting an engaging and accessible overview for students of media, film and cultural studies. It will be essential reading for anyone interested in the interdisciplinary ties between art, technology and media.

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* Exam copies only available to lecturers for whom the book may be suitable as a course text.
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Reviews

'Essential reading for anyone interested in the interdisciplinary ties between art, technology and media … Dr Parikka's cutting-edge text contextualizes media archaeology in relation to other key media studies debates while also presenting an engaging and accessible overview for students of media, film and cultural studies.'
Creative Boom

'An exciting and excitable contribution to cultural theory.'
Reviews in History

'What Is Media Archaeology? offers important methodological drives that direct our attention to the artistic, mathematical, and non-written ways in which this truly interdisciplinary field is developing.'
Literary & Linguistic Computing

'Jussi Parikka offers a lucid, concise, and highly readable account of a new and exciting field - media archaeology. He demonstrates that contemporary media forms are rooted to the past by multiple threads - untangling them helps us understand the media frenzy that currently surrounds us.'
Erkki Huhtamo, University of California Los Angeles

'A fabulous map of media archaeology that, as its subject compels, produces its territory anew.'
Matthew Fuller, Goldsmiths

'The most comprehensive coverage to date of this fascinating area of study. Parikka's book offers an excellent overview of connections between the material and social aspects of media technology. He provides a thorough review of the diverse and sometimes contrasting theoretical foundations and provides a host of concrete examples of media-archaeological practice that serve to bridge the gap between heady theoretical trajectories and the concerns of practicing artists, users and other readers who take their technology seriously.'
Paul DeMarinis, Stanford University

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Table of Contents

List of Images
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1
Introduction: Cartographies of the Old and the New
Chapter 2
Media Archaeology of the Senses: Audiovisual, Affective, Algorithmic
Chapter 3
Imaginary Media: Mapping Weird Objects
Chapter 4
Media Theory and New Materialism
Chapter 5
Mapping Noise and Accidents
Chapter 6
Archive Dynamics: Software Culture and Digital Heritage
Chapter 7
Practicing Media Archaeology: Creative Methodologies for Remediation
Conclusions
Conclusions: Media Archaeology in Digital Culture
Bibliography
References

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Author Information

Jussi Parikka is Reader in Media & Design at Winchester School of Art (University of Southampton).

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