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Contemporary society

About: Contemporary society is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 3991 publications have been published within this topic receiving 91755 citations.


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MonographDOI
31 Jan 2015
TL;DR: The notion of what constitutes "literacy" has shifted over time, from the de-coding of words where it is placed in the realm of an individual, cognitive skill to multiple literacies in the 21st century.
Abstract: The notion of what constitutes ‘literacy’ has shifted over time, from the de-coding of words where it is placed in the realm of an individual, cognitive skill to multiple literacies in the 21st century. This volume celebrates and critiques literacy in various forms indicated by the scope of the chapters. It makes a timely contribution to our understanding of literacy as a multi-faceted, complexly situated activity. The contributing authors represent a wide variety of theoretical and research perspectives. Each chapter provides the reader with a fresh perspective into a different site for literate behaviour, approaches, design and relationships. Presented are illustrations of ways in which scholars are beginning to respond to the challenge and also underscore the viability of the concept of literacy for specific purposes. The central plank of this scholarly and innovative volume is that literacy curriculum would need to evolve from its current one-dimensional/discrete perspective if it is to cater for the demands of the 21st century contemporary globalised society.

19 citations

Book
15 Jun 2013
TL;DR: For instance, Houellebecq is perhaps the single most successful and controversial contemporary novelists writing in French as discussed by the authors, whose books have become a global publishing phenomenon: his books have been translated worldwide, three film adaptations of his work have been produced, and the author has been the subject of million-euro publishing deals and successive media scandals in France.
Abstract: Michel Houellebecq is perhaps the single most successful and controversial of all contemporary novelists writing in French. Houellebecq has become a global publishing phenomenon: his books have been translated worldwide, three film adaptations of his work have been produced, and the author has been the subject of million-euro publishing deals and of successive media scandals in France. If Houellebecq is unique in contemporary French writing, it is thanks not only to his extraordinary success, but to the unparalleled scope of his narrative ambition. In the work which most forcefully marked his breakthrough to the mainstream – Les Particules elementaires – Houellebecq made a significant appeal to the science-fiction genre in order to undergird his critique of contemporary society. For Houellebecq presents humanity – at least modern, western humanity – as in a terminal state of decadence and decline and ripe for replacement by its post-human successor. His novels narrate a metaphysical mutation or paradigm shift through which humanity as we know it ceases to be the over-riding value or focus of our world when it comes into conflict with a competitor in the form of a post-human or neo-human species. It is the aim of this book to appraise the global significance of Houellebecq’s novelistic visions while at the same time situating them within the context of French literature, culture and society.

19 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors examines the media portrayal of Flintoff during that 2009 Ashes series and argues that sport provides contemporary societies with the celebrities which best represent national identity and sport provides society with celebrities that best represent the national identity.
Abstract: This article examines the media portrayal of Flintoff during that 2009 Ashes series The paper argues that sport provides contemporary societies with the celebrities which best represent national i

19 citations

Dissertation
19 May 2010
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focus on informal linguistic transactions that operate in relation to, and as part of spectacle in contemporary society, and argue that these communicative acts are a formalization of language revealing processes, networks, and territories that have positive possibilities for the public engaged in these communications.
Abstract: This thesis focuses on informal linguistic transactions that operate in relation to, and as part of spectacle in contemporary society. In contrast to presenting such transactions as a subordinated public, exchanging meaningless chatter, these communicative acts are seen to be a formalization of language revealing processes, networks, and territories that have positive possibilities for the public engaged in these communications. Using examples such as the act of communication evident in the recent exponential growth of web 2.0 (on-line social networking), the sound of language represented in the murmur of political demonstrations, and the audibility of voices on the underground network, this thesis builds upon and extends discussions that have asserted the political resistance inherent in rumour, gossip, idle talk, and hearsay. This specific analysis focuses upon both our physical, corporeal, and virtual relations to chatter within the developing systems of new technology that transfer the majority of today’s informal exchanges—investigating the sounds, repetitions, occupation of networks, and gestures of communication rather than the exchange of specific content. Using a methodology that acknowledges the ephemeral, transgressive and fluid nature of its subject, this project uses regular first person narrated sections supporting theoretical discussion, refuses the ‘permanence’ of visual illustration, and is directly informed by concerns within my art practice. Responding to the ideas inherent to my art practice—concerning the form and presentation of information presented (by the media and political authorities) to the public from which a political cognition is constructed, both text and practice elements of this project focus on an abstract, formal reading of contemporary communication. These abstract experiences of communication and collective action are acknowledged as an integral reading of contemporary politics, and that this sphere should be activated, extended and expanded upon in order to discover the positive possibilities inherent within it.

18 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors address two important, conspicuous topics for the understanding of contemporary capitalism: the world market and the knowledge economy, by locating these within Marx's value theory.
Abstract: This paper addresses two important, conspicuous topics for the understanding of contemporary capitalism: the world market and the knowledge economy. By locating these within Marx’s value theory, its authors take issue with other interpretations that explicitly reject or misinterpret Marx’s value theory in light of these themes. More generally, these exercises point to the need for value theory and the fact that it should and can move beyond its traditional terrain, collaborating with other strands of critical thought in understanding developments within contemporary society.

18 citations


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Performance
Metrics
No. of papers in the topic in previous years
YearPapers
202317
202230
2021116
2020161
2019155
2018192