Book launch Visual Methods for Digital Research
Sabine Niederer and Gabriele Colombo of Visual Methodologies Collective launch new book on visual methods
21 Sep 2024 19:38 | Centre for Applied Research FDMCIOver the last decade, images have become a key feature of digital culture; at the same time, they have made a mark on a wide range of research practices. The new book Visual Methods for Digital Research by Sabine Niederer (professor at AUAS) and Gabriele Colombo (researcher at the Department of Design at Politecnico di Milano) of the Visual Methodologies Collective is the first textbook to bring the fields of visual methods and digital research together.
Presenting visual methods for digital and participatory research, the book covers both the application of existing digital methods for image research and new visual methodologies developed specifically for digital research.
Offering a theoretical framework illustrated with hands-on techniques, Sabine Niederer and Gabriele Colombo provide compelling examples for studying online images through visual, digital and participatory means, and discuss critical data practices such as data feminism.
"Participatory visual methods emphasize the importance of involving diverse communities in the research process, ensuring a plurality of voices," outline Sabine and Gabriele.
The book encompasses various approaches to studying digital images, including the distant reading of image collections, the close reading of visual vernaculars of social media platforms, and participatory research with visual materials. The final chapter zooms in on generative AI and machine images, proposing a turn away from prompt engineering to research-driven prompt design.
This textbook is an accessible and invaluable guide for students and researchers of (digital) humanities, information and communication design, digital visual culture and social research.
Visual Methods for Digital Research is available for purchase via the Polity Press website or your local bookstore.