Readins in high & low

When first published, Marshall McLuhan's Understanding Media made history with its radical view of the effects of electronic communications upon man and life in the twentieth century.

About this Book / Bristol born Banksy is usually categorized as a Street Artist, although his art, in content and form, transcends a narrow understanding of this term. This publication primarily deals with Banksy as a contemporary Urban Artist and his relationship with consumer culture. It examines Banksy not only in light of his illicit work on the street, but also in regard to his gallery exhibitions. The study highlights representative works of his art, pieces which demonstrate his versatility, but also stand for different periods of his oeuvre. This book presents the first academic study of Banksy's art in English; with a history and discussion of the terms Graffiti, Street Art and Urban Art and a rich array of biographical information. It will be of interest to academics and the general public as well. About this Edition / Street Artist Banksy and former Young British artist Damien Hirst are two of the most popular representatives of British contemporary art. Situated in a triangle of art, consumerism and pop culture their work is among the most well-known. A systematic academic study of their artistic viewpoints and references to consumer culture has long been missing, and Ulrich Blanche is finally closing this gap: He examines Hirst's and Banksy's art against the background of the London art scene since 1980. Blanche points out connections to Duchamp, Warhol and Koons, and reflects on the role of the observer, the meaning of location and, especially, the references between art, consumer culture and marketing in their pieces. This two volume edition is the translated and expanded version of the authors dissertational thesis."

A foundational work on historical and social studies of quantification What accounts for the prestige of quantitative methods? The usual answer is that quantification is desirable in social investigation as a result of its successes in science. Trust in Numbers questions whether such success in the study of stars, molecules, or cells should be an attractive model for research on human societies, and examines why the natural sciences are highly quantitative in the first place. Theodore Porter argues that a better understanding of the attractions of quantification in business, government, and social research brings a fresh perspective to its role in psychology, physics, and medicine. Quantitative rigor is not inherent in science but arises from political and social pressures, and objectivity derives its impetus from cultural contexts. In a new preface, the author sheds light on the current infatuation with quantitative methods, particularly at the intersection of science and bureaucracy.