Description
Book SynopsisWhat does research tell us about how to grapple with the onslaught of graphic and distressing imagery that floods our newsfeeds daily? This book is designed for professionals and everyday people, legislators and social media policymakers who are making sense of trauma and meaning in our online lives.
Trade Review'We live in a world where too few people have stopped to think of the shattering impact of the way cell phones, video and audio technology, and the internet bring horrendous violence, often instantly, to our offices, our homes, our safest spaces. It is splendid to have this thoughtful, compassionate analysis of this situation, replete with practical suggestions, from two of our finest human rights workers.' Adam Hochschild, author of American Midnight: The Great War, a Violent Peace, and Democracy's Forgotten Crisis
'In the groundbreaking book Graphic, Alexa Koenig and Andrea Lampros explore the ever-evolving information landscape and its effects on our lives in the digital age. Meticulously researched and brimming with practical advice, this timely guide delves into the complex world of online content and reveals best practices for safely navigating it. Drawing from their pioneering work at the world's first university-based digital investigations lab, the authors address crucial questions about our engagement with graphic news, and the responsibilities of newsrooms, social media platforms, and social justice organizations in today's world. Graphic is an essential read for anyone seeking to understand and mitigate the challenges of the digital era while staying connected to the human stories that matter most.' Eliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat
'In Graphic, Alexa Koenig and Andrea Lampros brilliantly navigate the complicated and ethical landscape of our digital lives in which violent content is readily accessible at any time of day, anywhere in the world. Koenig and Lampros contend we should not necessarily look away from this material, but rather look differently. Thoroughly researched and compelling written, Graphic is a groundbreaking book with important insights about ways to be a digital witness to injustice that minimize the harmful and devastating impact this material can have on people who view it.' Sylvanna Falcón, Associate Professor of Latin American and Latino Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz
Table of ContentsIntroduction: Taking in Trauma from Our Newsfeed; 1. A Short Summary of a Long History of Graphic Witnessing; 2. Images and the Brain; 3. Images and Identity; 4. Agency and Control; 5. Community as a Protective Force; 6. Meaning in our Online Lives; 7. Policy and Practice: What Next? Conclusion: Lessons on Resilience from San Miguel.
