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We live in an age where culture is becoming increasingly globalised. There
are multitudes of television channels, radio stations, and print
publications 'at home', and developments like the Internet now allow those
with the technology to tune in to the cultural producers in foreign
countries all over the world. They can read Russian newspapers, listen to
Brazilian Internet radio, and watch the German Bundesliga on TV. It may be
confusing, but given the often-predicted alternative of a total hegemony
of mainstream Western culture, maybe that's a good thing.
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At the same time the genres of cultural production are continually
expanding, morphing and proliferating. What's causing the confusion
is that there's just so much culture around in so many forms. All
the more, then, there is a need for a critical engagement with what is
going on in culture and the media, on a number of levels. If you're
familiar with M/C, you've already seen where theoretically informed
debates of cultural events can lead. On the other end of the spectrum,
where the focus is lead by cultural productions rather than unifying
theory, there is room enough for a criticism that keeps cultural forces in
mind -- and it's here where M/C Reviews joins in.
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M/C Reviews is a companion piece to the M/C journal itself. It is
neither simply a sub-section of M/C, nor completely independent of it;
you, the reader, decide how you want to see it. Most of the reviews
published here are informed by the culture-critical perspective of M/C and
the disciplines of media and cultural studies, but you don't need to take
notice of this fact; if you do, however, you'll find that they frequently
tie in with debates represented in greater length in M/C.
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What we're trying to do, then, is to draw your attention to some of
the most interesting, exciting and fascinating current events in culture
and the media. The phenomena we review are reflective of and significant
for the development of our cultural, political and social environments and
mediascapes. The sections of M/C Reviews are designed to encourage reviews
of as many genres as possible, from new media such as Websites to the
more traditional fare of academic books and films. And we don't stop at
the 'textual' -- realia of many types, from consumer products to Monet and
toys, fall within our ambit, as does culturally pertinent ethnography. We
want to see all these things put into perspective, and invite contributors
to add their own thoughts to the debates they may raise. We also want to
provide a forum for reflection upon culture-as-it-happens.
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A particularly important aspect of M/C Reviews has become its feature
sections. At regular intervals we invite guest editors to solicit and
prepare a group of review articles focussing on a particular cultural
moment or theme. This allows multiple perspectives to be expressed about
things that interest and concern many. Hopefully this also provides
something of a service in providing a forum of exchange for those
interested in media and cultural productions in their various aspects.
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So, whether you're reading our features or our one-off reviews, please
engage and enjoy. And now that you've already entered into the life of M/C
Reviews, you might even consider contributing a review or a comment. It's
free, accessible and will be online forever, give or take a day or two.
Your Team M/C.
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P.S.: A note on our modus operandi -- in contrast to the eight-weekly publication of M/C,
the articles in M/C Reviews are published as they come to hand; since culture is an ongoing
process, so should the reviews be, too, we think. To the left of the article text, you'll see the
paragraphs numbered as 'bits': this is to make citation and referencing easier (for more information
on bits and bites, see the explanation in M/C). For the same reason,
we're including ready-made citation references in various academic styles at the bottom of the page.
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Citation reference for this article
MLA style:
Axel Bruns, Guy Redden. "About M/C Reviews." M/C Reviews 20 Oct. 1998.
[your date of access] <http://www.uq.edu.au/mc/reviews/about.html>.
Chicago style:
Axel Bruns, Guy Redden, "About M/C Reviews," M/C Reviews 20 Oct. 1998,
<http://www.uq.edu.au/mc/reviews/about.html> ([your date of access]).
APA style:
Axel Bruns, Guy Redden. (1998) About M/C Reviews. M/C Reviews 20 Oct. 1998.
<http://www.uq.edu.au/mc/reviews/about.html> ([your date of access]).
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