School of Communication Studies - Te Kura Whakapāho

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https://hdl.handle.net/10292/1316
The School of Communication Studies is committed to innovative, critical and creative research that advances knowledge, serves the community, and develops future communication experts and skilled media practitioners. There is a dynamic interaction between communication theory and media practice across digital media, creative industries, film and television production advertising, radio, public relations, and journalism. The School is involved in research and development in areas of:
  • Journalism
  • Media and Communication
  • Media Performance
  • Multimodal Analysis
  • Online, Social and Digital Media
  • Asia-Pacific Media
  • Political Economy of Communication
  • Popular Culture
  • Public Relations
  • Radio

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Browsing School of Communication Studies - Te Kura Whakapāho by Subject "3605 Screen and digital media"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Digital Eternity: The Holographic Resurrection of Music Icons
    (Intellect, 2024-07-10) Matthews, Justin; Nairn, Angelique
    Holographic reincarnations blend the allure of the past with the possibilities of modern technology, navigating through ethical quandaries and the redefinition of performance art. Central to this exploration is the fusion of memory and digital perpetuity, pushing the limits of what constitutes a live performance. The holographic rebirth of legends such as Elvis Presley, Amy Winehouse and Whitney Houston sparks debate over the ethics of posthumous consent, the authenticity of such representations and the implications of monetizing the afterlife of artists. This shift towards digital eternity prompts a critical assessment of the moral dimensions involved in resurrecting artists through technology. Exploring the history and development of holography, from historical illusions to contemporary artificial intelligence-enhanced presentations, reveals both the technological achievements and the ethical challenges presented by these endeavours. The drive behind these resurrective projects shines a light on a lucrative industry focused on ‘Delebs’, turning the legacies of deceased celebrities into profitable ventures. Yet the quest to immortalize artists digitally invites scrutiny over potential misuse, privacy breaches and the erosion of the true essence of their legacies. Addressing these complex issues demands a concerted effort from ethicists, legal scholars, technology experts and cultural commentators. The journey into this uncharted domain highlights the necessity of balancing innovation with respect, advocating for a principled approach to honouring those who have passed. The concept of confining artists to a ‘digital purgatory’, where they exist solely for entertainment devoid of self-determination, emphasizes the urgency of establishing ethical guidelines. This digital afterlife, fraught with the risk of diminishing the soul of artistic works to mere commercial assets, calls for a vigilant approach to safeguard the dignity and volition of artists in the realm of digital legacy.
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    Fight for the Wild: Emotion and Place in Conservation, Community Formation, and National Identity
    (Informa UK Limited, 2023-11-06) Craig, Geoffrey
    This study analyses the documentary series, Fight for the Wild, examining how emotional engagements with place facilitate a complex nexus of conservation practices, community formation, and feelings associated with national identity. The documentary charts the progress and challenges of the ‘Predator Free 2050’ campaign which seeks to eradicate Aotearoa New Zealand of all introduced predators and protect endangered native fauna and flora. The documentary portrays how the campaign in constituted through networks of scientists and conservation workers, community groups, and institutional and political leaders, spanning a diverse geographical spectrum from areas of wilderness to urban environments. The study argues the conservation work portrayed in the documentary, and indeed all environmental activity, derives from emotions generated by an individual’s experiential relationships with an environment. Such an argument declares that human assignations of environmental value originate from experiential engagements with an environment, and the accompanying emotional recognition of the affordances of that environment, and that cognitive, social, and representational engagements with environments follow such a process. The article’s significance derives from a demonstration of how this process of subject formation individually informs and connects the scientific processes of conservation work, local community engagement, and more broadly the invocation of a national identity.
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    That Time I Was Reincarnated as a Problematic Trope: Viewer Preferences and Cultural Trends in Reincarnation Isekai Anime
    (Intellect, 2024-07-13) Guinibert, Matthew; Page, Jo
    The genre of reincarnation isekai anime, wherein a protagonist dies in their original world only to be reborn in a fantastical one, has grown significantly in global appeal. Yet, this genre’s expansion also normalizes controversial themes such as mental health issues, sexual and violent content, and the sexualisation of virtual minors. This article employs a data-driven approach, analysing user-generated coding of themes and properties from English-speaking fan sites, to critically examine three emergent and interconnected dimensions: the success of series deemed ‘trashy’, the complexities surrounding sexual themes, and the rising appeal of the ‘zero-to-hero’ motif in a post-pandemic world. The findings reveal a paradoxical allure of ‘trashy’ but popular content, complex ethical dilemmas surrounding sexual themes, and an increased resonance of empowerment motifs resulting from the pandemic. These discoveries provoke renewed discussions on anime’s role in shaping and reflecting societal values and raise questions about regulatory challenges in a globalized media setting. The study confirms the need for more nuanced understandings of the genre’s growing global influence, particularly outside of Japan, and calls for continued research to delve deeper into its complexities.
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    The Power of Chaos: Exploring Magic, Gender, and Agency in Netflix’s The Witcher
    (Queensland University of Technology, 2023-10-03) Nairn, Angelique; Piatti-Farnell, Lorna
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