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The Wikipedia Revolution: How a Bunch of Nobodies Created the World's Greatest Encyclopedia
by Andrew Lih"Imagine a world in which every single person on the planet is given free access to the sum of all human knowledge. That's what we're doing." --Jimmy WalesWith more than 2,000,000 individual articles on everything from Aa! (a Japanese pop group) to Zzyzx, California, written by an army of volunteer contributors, Wikipedia is the #8 site on the World Wide Web. Created (and corrected) by anyone with access to a computer, this impressive assemblage of knowledge is growing at an astonishing rate of more than 30,000,000 words a month. Now for the first time, a Wikipedia insider tells the story of how it all happened--from the first glimmer of an idea to the global phenomenon it's become.Andrew Lih has been an administrator (a trusted user who is granted access to technical features) at Wikipedia for more than four years, as well as a regular host of the weekly Wikipedia podcast. In The Wikipedia Revolution, he details the site's inception in 2001, its evolution, and its remarkable growth, while also explaining its larger cultural repercussions. Wikipedia is not just a website; it's a global community of contributors who have banded together out of a shared passion for making knowledge free.Featuring a Foreword by Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales and an Afterword that is itself a Wikipedia creation.
The Wild Side of Photography
by Cyrill HarnischmacherGeared toward the adventurous photographer, The Wild Side of Photography provides a rich source of ideas and inspiration for fun projects ranging from clever to unconventional. Learn to build a shift/tilt lens for your DSLR from an old junkyard 120 film camera, try the camera toss, shoot images from a kite, use a peephole door viewer as a fisheye lens, or build your own pinhole camera. Get ready to capture the perfect aerial shot on your next commercial flight, and to paint beautiful night scenes using a flashlight as a lightbrush. Author/designer, Cyrill Harnischmacher, brought together 20 international authors and their unique projects to produce this intriguing book. Each project is presented with easy to understand instructional text, background info about the author and the project, and beautiful color images to illustrate what can be accomplished and how you can do it too. Topics include: - Laptop ministudio - Camera hacks - Pole monopods for aerial photography - Blur (motion blur, camera motion, out-of-focus) - Low budget astrophotography - Kite photography - Using the scanner as a camera - LittlePlanet views - Texture blending - Camera and lens building projects
The Wiley 5G REF: Security
by Madhusanka Liyanage Periklis Chatzimisios Rahim Tafazolli Chin-Liang WangFrom the Section Editor’s Foreword by Dr. Madhusanka Liyanage, University College Dublin, Ireland. The Wiley 5G Ref: Security offers a stellar collection of articles selected from the online-only Work, The Wiley 5G Reference. It aims to provide a solid educational foundation for researchers and practitioners in the field of 5G Security and Privacy to expand their knowledge base by including the latest developments in these disciplines. The book introduces the security landscape of 5G, and significant security and privacy risks associated with the 5G networks. Then, the security solutions for different segments of the 5G network, i.e., radio network, edge network, access network, and core network, are discussed. Since 5G is developed based on network softwarization, security threats associated with key network softwarization technologies such as SDN, NFV, NS, and MEC are also presented in detail. Then, the security issues related to the new 5G and IoT services are delivered. Finally, a detailed discussion on the privacy of 5G networks is presented by considering Datafied Society. Written by leading experts in security and privacy for the telecommunication network, this book is intended to provide additional learning opportunities for a wide range of readers, from graduate-level students to seasoned engineering professionals. We are confident that this book and the entire collection of selected articles will continue Wiley’s tradition of excellence in technical publishing and provide a lasting and positive contribution to the teaching and practice of security and privacy of 5G and beyond networks.
The Wiley Handbook of Collaborative Online Learning and Global Engagement (Wiley Handbooks in Education)
by Irene López Deirdre JohnstonPresents best practices for faculty and administrators developing globally-connected courses, including learning objectives, collaborative assignments, and logistical planning As political instability, pandemic risks, rising costs, new requirements for experiential learning, and other factors make it increasingly difficult for students to study abroad, there is growing interest in globalizing and internationalizing the curricula of colleges and universities worldwide. The Wiley Handbook of Collaborative Online Learning and Global Engagement is designed to help educators develop and conduct high-impact, globally-connected courses across the humanities, the fine arts, and the social and natural sciences. This comprehensive guide covers collaborative practices, course design variables, student learning approaches, logistical planning, and more. An international team of contributors from diverse geographic, cultural, and academic backgrounds offer insight into enhancing pedagogical practice, coordinating study abroad experiences, and promoting both students' and faculty's global competencies. Throughout the text, numerous real-world case studies, interactive and experiential assignments, sample syllabi, course bibliographies, and links to web and media resources reinforce best practices for course design, learning objectives, and pedagogy development. Based on a detailed assessment of 500 students in collaborative courses across 14 countries, this innovative guide: Covers co-development of learning objectives across different courses, disciplines and cultural contexts, co-coordination of course content, technology, and resources, and intercultural learning assessment Explores new and innovative ways to engage students in distant locations in collaborative learning Provides advice for overcoming logistical challenges, managing group dynamics, controlling costs, and implementing connected courses with limited resources Discusses the impact globally-connected courses have on cultural curiosity, knowledge, strategy, and behavior Offers approaches for addressing cultural transgressions and miscommunication, and for collaborating with other faculty members across cultures and educational systems Featuring multiple cultural perspectives and international contexts, The Wiley Handbook of Collaborative Online Learning and Global Engagement is a valuable guide and reference for faculty and administrators involved in teaching, planning, implementing, or assessing courses with global learning outcomes.
The Wiley Handbook of Learning Technology (Wiley Handbooks in Education)
by Nick Rushby Daniel W. SurryThe Wiley Handbook of Learning Technology is an authoritative and up-to-date survey of the fast-growing field of learning technology, from its foundational theories and practices to its challenges, trends, and future developments. Offers an examination of learning technology that is equal parts theoretical and practical, covering both the technology of learning and the use of technology in learning Individual chapters tackle timely and controversial subjects, such as gaming and simulation, security, lifelong learning, distance education, learning across educational settings, and the research agenda Designed to serve as a point of entry for learning technology novices, a comprehensive reference for scholars and researchers, and a practical guide for education and training practitioners Includes 29 original and comprehensively referenced essays written by leading experts in instructional and educational technology from around the world
The Windows 10 Accessibility Handbook
by Mike HalseyLearn everything you need to know about making Windows 10 easier to use, see, hear, touch, or read, whether you are using it yourself, setting it up for another person, teaching others about ease of use at work or in the home, or working with a variety of people with specific needs in the community. What you'll learn Manage accessibility in the Settings app, and make use of the Ease of Access Center Make your keyboard and mouse easier to use Make text and windows easier to read Use text or visual alternatives for sounds Use the narrator, and control it using touch and with the keyboard Use Cortana as a smart PC assistant Make use of Windows 10 shortcut keys, and touch and trackpad gestures Use and train the handwriting recognition feature Dictate or navigate using speech recognition Who this book is for The audience for this book includes (but is not limited to) Windows users with special visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive needs, at home and in the workplace. It provides guidance for IT and management professionals who work with such users, as well as the community and statutory groups, organizations, colleges, universities, and government agencies that support them. It is also a guide for friends and family supporting elderly or disabled Windows users in the home, and for anyone else looking for advice on how to make their PC simpler, easier, more productive, and ultimately more enjoyable to use. Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introducing Accessibility in Windows 10 Chapter 2: Identifying Your Needs Chapter 3: Using Windows 10 with a Visual Impairment Chapter 4: Using Windows 10 with a Hearing Impairment Chapter 5: Making the Keyboard and Mouse Easier to Use Chapter 6: Touch and Alternative Input Options Chapter 7: Windows 10 for Memory, Learning, or Other Cognitive Impairments Chapter 8: Managing Accessibility in Windows 10 Mobile Chapter 9: Windows 10 Usability Tips and Tricks
The Windows Screen Reader Primer: All the Basics and More
by David KingsburyFor those with visual impairments, screen reader software is crucial for living in today’s world. Keeping up to date with changes when applications are updated is critical to being an independent computer user. Authored by an Assistive Technology Instructor at the Carroll Center for the Blind in Massachusetts, the book is meant to help JAWS, NVDA, and Windows Narrator users work more effectively with the most important Windows-based applications—the Microsoft Office suite, popular web browsers, cloud sharing apps, Zoom for meetings, and more. The book is intended for both beginners and intermediate users. While all the basics are covered, those already possessing a fair amount of experience using screen reader programs in the Windows environment will find useful tools and techniques to further enhance their skills.
The Windows Screen Reader Primer: All the Basics and More
by David KingsburyThe "Windows Screen Reader Primer: Third Edition" offers comprehensive guidance for users of JAWS, NVDA, and Windows Narrator, focusing on essential Windows applications, Office Suite tools, web browsers, cloud-based platforms, PDF readers, and teleconferencing software. With updates for Windows 11 and recent software versions, it includes new chapters on Google Workspace, audio-video editing, and AI integration. The book caters to beginners and intermediate users, providing step-by-step instructions, customizable settings, and practical exercises. Accessible formats and navigation tips enhance usability, making it an invaluable resource for mastering screen reader usage in the Windows environment.
The Windows Serial Port Programming Handbook
by Ying BaiThe popularity of serial communications demands that additional serial port interfaces be developed to meet the expanding requirements of users. The Windows Serial Port Programming Handbook illustrates the principles and methods of developing various serial port interfaces using multiple languages. This comprehensive, hands-on, and practical guide.
The Wired Homestead: An MIT Press Sourcebook on the Internet and the Family
by Joseph Turow Andrea L. KavanaughThe use of the internet in homes rivals the advent of the telephone, radio, or television in social significance.
The Wires of War: Technology and the Global Struggle for Power
by Jacob HelbergFrom the former news policy lead at Google, an urgent and groundbreaking account of the high-stakes global cyberwar brewing between Western democracies and the autocracies of China and Russia that could potentially crush democracy.From 2016 to 2020, Jacob Helberg led Google&’s global internal product policy efforts to combat disinformation and foreign interference. During this time, he found himself in the midst of what can only be described as a quickly escalating two-front technology cold war between democracy and autocracy. On the front-end, we&’re fighting to control the software—applications, news information, social media platforms, and more—of what we see on the screens of our computers, tablets, and phones, a clash which started out primarily with Russia but now increasingly includes China and Iran. Even more ominously, we&’re also engaged in a hidden back-end battle—largely with China—to control the Internet&’s hardware, which includes devices like cellular phones, satellites, fiber-optic cables, and 5G networks. This tech-fueled war will shape the world&’s balance of power for the coming century as autocracies exploit twenty-first-century methods to re-divide the world into twentieth century-style spheres of influence. Helberg cautions that the spoils of this fight are power over every meaningful aspect of our lives, including our economy, our infrastructure, our national security, and ultimately, our national sovereignty. Without a firm partnership with the government, Silicon Valley is unable to protect democracy from the autocrats looking to sabotage it from Beijing to Moscow and Tehran. The stakes of the ongoing cyberwar are no less than our nation&’s capacity to chart its own future, the freedom of our democratic allies, and even the ability of each of us to control our own fates, Helberg says. And time is quickly running out.
The Witch's Warning (Secrets of an Overworld Survivor #5)
by Grace Sandford Greyson MannWhen lightning hits Little Oak, one of Will and Mina’s villager friends gets struck—and turned into a witch! Mina and Will sprint straight to the witch huts in the swamp, trying to save their friend. But instead of help, they find grave danger: witches with potions so powerful, Mina’s own potions seem weak and useless. When Mina falls victim to a witch’s potion, it’s Will who has to perfect his potion-making skills. Can he remember what Mina taught him in time to save her from the deadly secrets swirling deep within the swamp?
The Wither Invasion (Wither War #3)
by Mark ChevertonIn the concluding third book of a new Minecraft adventure series from New York Times bestselling author Mark Cheverton, Watcher fights the wither king’s army to save Minecraft itself from destruction. With Krael, the king of the withers, trapped in another world, the young wizard Watcher thinks the Great War is finally over. . . . but he’s wrong. Intent on destroying all villagers, Krael has found a way to bring his army to the Far Lands. Now, with Krael’s vicious horde chasing them, Watcher and his friends must save as many villages as possible before making their final stand. But, outnumbered by monsters stronger than they’ve ever seen, it seems hopeless. It will be left to Watcher to save them, and, with a secret weapon of mass destruction, the young wizard will be forced to make a decision: Should he destroy millions of monsters, or should the villagers stand and fight, knowing they’ll die? What Watcher doesn’t know is that a secret built into the ancient weapon could change the course of the war . . . for better or for worse.
The Wither King: Wither War Book One: A Far Lands Adventure: An Unofficial Minecrafter's Adventure (Wither War)
by Mark ChevertonLife is peaceful and calm in the Far Lands, a mysterious area on the edge of the Overworld in Minecraft. The monster warlords have been destroyed, and the NPC villages are flourishing. But an old warning still echoes in the young NPC Watcher’s mind: “Krael, the new Wither King, will bring back his army, as the monster warlocks predicted, and take their revenge on all of the Far Lands.” Watcher is right to be suspicious. Krael, the self-proclaimed King of the Withers, and wearer of the Crown of Skulls, has a plan to bring back the vast army of withers that lie imprisoned in the ancient Cave of Slumber. With the help of a dozen ancient zombie warriors rescued by Krael, they seek to release the withers from their slumber and wreak havoc on the Far Lands. And the only thing in his path is a skinny little archer named Watcher.
The Withers Awaken: Wither War Book Two: A Far Lands Adventure: An Unofficial Minecrafter's Adventure (Wither War)
by Mark ChevertonKrael, the Wither King, has been trapped deep underground, ending his reign of terror, and all the NPCs of the Far Lands have all put away their swords in peace except Watcher; the young archer still suspects Krael has bigger plans. He’s right. In the darkness of the Cave of Slumber, Krael awakens the imprisoned wither horde, and with the help of creepers and endermen, the wither army is released from their rocky jail. They spread across the Far Lands, searching for the ancient Vault of Weapons which will make the army of withers indestructible. But one man alone holds the secret to the Vault’s whereabouts: the Far Land’s last living NPC wizard. Watcher and his friends must race to find the wizard before Krael and his army of monsters. But if they fail, a wave of destruction, led by the King of the Withers, will sweep across the landscape, destroying everything—and everyone—they know.
The Women of the Far Right: Social Media Influencers and Online Radicalization
by Eviane LeidigOn mainstream social media platforms, far-right women make extremism relatable. They share Instagram stories about organic foods that help pregnant women propagate the “pure” white race and post behind-the-scenes selfies at antivaccination rallies. These social media personalities model a feminine lifestyle, at once promoting their personal brands and radicalizing their followers. Amid discussions of issues like dating, marriage, and family life, they call on women to become housewives to counteract the corrosive effects of feminism and champion the Great Replacement conspiracy theory, which motivated massacres in Christchurch, El Paso, and Buffalo.Eviane Leidig offers an in-depth look into the world of far-right women influencers, exploring the digital lives they cultivate as they seek new recruits for white nationalism. Going beyond stereotypes of the typical male white supremacist, she uncovers how young, attractive women are playing key roles as propagandists, organizers, fundraisers, and entrepreneurs. Leidig argues that far-right women are marketing themselves as authentic and accessible in order to reach new followers and spread a hateful ideology. This insidious—and highly gendered—strategy takes advantage of the structure of social media platforms, where far-right women influencers’ content is shared with and promoted to mainstream audiences. Providing much-needed expertise on gender and the far right, this timely and accessible book also details online and offline approaches to countering extremism.
The WordPress Anthology: Get Under the Hood of Wordpress!
by Raena Jackson Armitage Mick OlinikWritten for developers, The WordPress Anthology will take you beyond the basics to give you a thorough overview of the WordPress universe. With a cookbook-style approach, you can pick and choose what you need from each chapter to suit your projects.Gain a comprehensive overview of installing, customizing and getting the most out of the web's most versatile content management systemDive into the inner mechanics of WordPress and make the code work the way you wantExplore the world of plugins, themes and APIs to add extra functionalityAdopt Multisite capabilities to host and manage your own centralized network of WordPress websitesLearn how to launch your application on a global scale with localization techniques and marketing tips
The Work of Art in a Digital Age: Art, Technology and Globalisation
by Melissa LangdonThis book explores digital artists' articulations of globalization. Digital artworks from around the world are examined in terms of how they both express and simulate globalization's impacts through immersive, participatory and interactive technologies. The author highlights some of the problems with macro and categorical approaches to the study of globalization and presents new ways of seeing the phenomenon as a series of processes and flows that are individually experienced and expressed. Instead of providing a macro analysis of large-scale political and economic processes, the book offers imaginative new ways of knowing and understanding globalization as a series of micro affects. Digital art is explored in terms of how it re-centers articulations of globalization around individual experiences and offers new ways of accessing a complex topic often expressed in general and intangible terms. The Work of Art in a Digital Age: Art, Technology and Globalization is analytic and accessible, with material that is of interest to a range of researchers from different disciplines. Students studying digital art, film, globalization, cultural studies or digital media trends will also find the content fascinating.
The Working Mom: The Honest Mum's Guide to Surviving and Thriving at Work and at Home
by Vicki BroadbentChosen by the Independent as one of the 10 best business books written by women'Vicki is one inspirational mumboss, who shares her secrets to juggling a thriving business with raising a family in this entertaining and empowering read!' Una Healy'Ideal for going back to work without losing your mind . . . a no-nonsense guide to navigating the transition' Marie Claire 'If ever there is a person who has shown just how successful you can be online whilst also being an amazing parent it is Vicki. Read, learn and follow. A brilliant book from an inspirational mother'. Natasha Courtenay-Smith, author of The Million Dollar BlogIn The Working Mom, Vicki Psarias, founder of HonestMum.com, shares her manifesto for surviving and thriving at work and at home. Vicki writes about everything from juggling work and family, to regaining your confidence after having a baby and battling imposter syndrome.An award-winning blogger and vlogger, in this book Vicki shares how to turn your passions into a business that suits the modern mum's lifestyle. The Working Mom is full of practical advice, tips and tricks to help fellow #mumbosses build their own business or return to work, while creating a personal brand and learning how to market yourself.Vicki's funny, fresh approach to life and work as a mum has brought her a loyal fanbase and a brilliantly successful business: her blog Honest Mum is one of the UK's most popular parenting and lifestyle sites, and the blog combined with Vicki's social channels has an average monthly reach of 1 million. A Lean In for the blogging and vlogging generation, The Working Mom is an essential book for all parents, whether they are returning to work or looking to start a new career, as well as anyone looking to build their brand or business online.'A must-read for the modern Mum; particularly one who has aspirations to build her own business. I wish I had been able to read it three years ago!' Katie Massie-Taylor, Co-Founder, Mush
The Working Mom: The Honest Mum's Guide to Surviving and Thriving at Work and at Home
by Vicki BroadbentChosen by the Independent as one of the 10 best business books written by women'Vicki is one inspirational mumboss, who shares her secrets to juggling a thriving business with raising a family in this entertaining and empowering read!' Una Healy'Ideal for going back to work without losing your mind . . . a no-nonsense guide to navigating the transition' Marie Claire'If ever there is a person who has shown just how successful you can be online whilst also being an amazing parent it is Vicki. Read, learn and follow. A brilliant book from an inspirational mother'. Natasha Courtenay-Smith, author of The Million Dollar BlogIn The Working Mom, Vicki Psarias, founder of HonestMum.com, shares her manifesto for surviving and thriving at work and at home. Vicki writes about everything from juggling work and family, to regaining your confidence after having a baby and battling imposter syndrome.An award-winning blogger and vlogger, in this book Vicki shares how to turn your passions into a business that suits the modern mum's lifestyle. The Working Mom is full of practical advice, tips and tricks to help fellow #mumbosses build their own business or return to work, while creating a personal brand and learning how to market yourself.Vicki's funny, fresh approach to life and work as a mum has brought her a loyal fanbase and a brilliantly successful business: her blog Honest Mum is one of the UK's most popular parenting and lifestyle sites, and the blog combined with Vicki's social channels has an average monthly reach of 1 million. A Lean In for the blogging and vlogging generation, The Working Mom is an essential book for all parents, whether they are returning to work or looking to start a new career, as well as anyone looking to build their brand or business online.'A must-read for the modern Mum; particularly one who has aspirations to build her own business. I wish I had been able to read it three years ago!' Katie Massie-Taylor, Co-Founder, Mush
The Working Mom: The Honest Mum's Guide to Surviving and Thriving at Work and at Home
by Vicki BroadbentChosen by the Independent as one of the 10 best business books written by women'Vicki is one inspirational mumboss, who shares her secrets to juggling a thriving business with raising a family in this entertaining and empowering read!' Una Healy'Ideal for going back to work without losing your mind . . . a no-nonsense guide to navigating the transition' Marie Claire 'If ever there is a person who has shown just how successful you can be online whilst also being an amazing parent it is Vicki. Read, learn and follow. A brilliant book from an inspirational mother'. Natasha Courtenay-Smith, author of The Million Dollar BlogIn The Working Mom, Vicki Psarias, founder of HonestMum.com, shares her manifesto for surviving and thriving at work and at home. Vicki writes about everything from juggling work and family, to regaining your confidence after having a baby and battling imposter syndrome.An award-winning blogger and vlogger, in this book Vicki shares how to turn your passions into a business that suits the modern mum's lifestyle. The Working Mom is full of practical advice, tips and tricks to help fellow #mumbosses build their own business or return to work, while creating a personal brand and learning how to market yourself.Vicki's funny, fresh approach to life and work as a mum has brought her a loyal fanbase and a brilliantly successful business: her blog Honest Mum is one of the UK's most popular parenting and lifestyle sites, and the blog combined with Vicki's social channels has an average monthly reach of 1 million. A Lean In for the blogging and vlogging generation, The Working Mom is an essential book for all parents, whether they are returning to work or looking to start a new career, as well as anyone looking to build their brand or business online.'A must-read for the modern Mum; particularly one who has aspirations to build her own business. I wish I had been able to read it three years ago!' Katie Massie-Taylor, Co-Founder, Mush
The Workplace of the Future: The Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Precariat and the Death of Hierarchies (Routledge Studies in the Economics of Innovation)
by Jon-Arild JohannessenThe Fourth Industrial Revolution is a global development that shows no signs of slowing down. In his book, The Workplace of the Future: The Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Precariat and the Death of Hierarchies, Jon-Arild Johannessen sets a chilling vision of how robots and artificial intelligence will completely disrupt and transform working life. The author contests that once the dust has settled from the Fourth Industrial Revolution, workplaces and professions will be unrecognizable and we will see the rise of a new social class: the precariat. We will live side by side with the 'working poor' – people who have several jobs, but still can’t make ends meet. There will be a small salaried elite consisting of innovation and knowledge workers. Slightly further into the future, there will be a major transformation in professional environments. Johannessen also presents a typology for the precariat, the uncertain work that is created and develops a framework for the working poor, as well as for future innovation and knowledge workers, and sets out a new structure for the social hierarchy. A fascinating and thought-provoking insight into the impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, The Workplace of the Future will be of interest to professionals and academics alike. The book is particularly suited to academic courses in management, economy, political science and social sciences.
The World Made Meme: Public Conversations and Participatory Media
by Ryan M. MilnerInternet memes -- digital snippets that can make a joke, make a point, or make a connection -- are now a lingua franca of online life. They are collectively created, circulated, and transformed by countless users across vast networks. Most of us have seen the cat playing the piano, Kanye interrupting, Kanye interrupting the cat playing the piano. In The World Made Meme, Ryan Milner argues that memes, and the memetic process, are shaping public conversation. It's hard to imagine a major pop cultural or political moment that doesn't generate a constellation of memetic texts. Memetic media, Milner writes, offer participation by reappropriation, balancing the familiar and the foreign as new iterations intertwine with established ideas. New commentary is crafted by the mediated circulation and transformation of old ideas. Through memetic media, small strands weave together big conversations. Milner considers the formal and social dimensions of memetic media, and outlines five basic logics that structure them: multimodality, reappropriation, resonance, collectivism, and spread. He examines how memetic media both empower and exclude during public conversations, exploring the potential for public voice despite everyday antagonisms. Milner argues that memetic media enable the participation of many voices even in the midst of persistent inequality. This new kind of participatory conversation, he contends, complicates the traditional culture industries. When age-old gatekeepers intertwine with new ways of sharing information, the relationship between collective participation and individual expression becomes ambivalent. For better or worse -- and Milner offers examples of both -- memetic media have changed the nature of public conversations.
The World Made Meme: Public Conversations and Participatory Media (The Information Society Series)
by Ryan M. MilnerHow memetic media—aggregate texts that are collectively created, circulated, and transformed—become a part of public conversations that shape broader cultural debates.Internet memes—digital snippets that can make a joke, make a point, or make a connection—are now a lingua franca of online life. They are collectively created, circulated, and transformed by countless users across vast networks. Most of us have seen the cat playing the piano, Kanye interrupting, Kanye interrupting the cat playing the piano. In The World Made Meme, Ryan Milner argues that memes, and the memetic process, are shaping public conversation. It's hard to imagine a major pop cultural or political moment that doesn't generate a constellation of memetic texts. Memetic media, Milner writes, offer participation by reappropriation, balancing the familiar and the foreign as new iterations intertwine with established ideas. New commentary is crafted by the mediated circulation and transformation of old ideas. Through memetic media, small strands weave together big conversations. Milner considers the formal and social dimensions of memetic media, and outlines five basic logics that structure them: multimodality, reappropriation, resonance, collectivism, and spread. He examines how memetic media both empower and exclude during public conversations, exploring the potential for public voice despite everyday antagonisms. Milner argues that memetic media enable the participation of many voices even in the midst of persistent inequality. This new kind of participatory conversation, he contends, complicates the traditional culture industries. When age-old gatekeepers intertwine with new ways of sharing information, the relationship between collective participation and individual expression becomes ambivalent. For better or worse—and Milner offers examples of both—memetic media have changed the nature of public conversations.
The World Politics of Disco Elysium (Popular Culture and World Politics)
by Nicholas Kiersey Vic CastroThe World Politics of Disco Elysium analyzes the distinctive political claims and original arguments on a wide range of international political issues of the highly-acclaimed Marxist video game Disco Elysium (2019), which takes place in a speculative fictional world anchored in a post-Soviet Estonian perspective.Disco Elysium (2019) has been repeatedly acclaimed as one of the best video games of all time. This detective role-playing game unfolds in a city ruined by a failed communist revolution and occupied by a foreign coalition. Furthering recent work in International Relations and popular culture, this book claims that the "cognitive estrangement" of speculative fiction can produce theoretical and political novelty, beyond merely reflecting existing political dynamics. By placing a metaphor for the Estonian capital Tallinn at the centre of a world, Disco Elysium produces an estranged Estonian perspective on world politics that challenges dominant Anglo-American views of International Relations, while also undermining the opposition between a coherent West and a colonized Rest. The contributors, from International Relations and Cultural Studies, discuss the game’s claims on topics such as capitalism, (neo)liberalism, foreign intervention, law enforcement, fascism, colonialism, gender, disability, violence, memory, revolutionary politics, the European Union, political realism and international security.The World Politics of Disco Elysium will be of great interest to students and scholars researching the politics of popular culture, post-Soviet politics, non-Western International Relations, as well as game studies and cultural studies.