David Gauntlett
David Gauntlett (b.
March 15,
1971) is a
social scientist specialising in the study of contemporary media
audiences, and the role of media in shaping self-identity. He took his PhD and then taught at the
University of Leeds, UK, from 1993 to 2001, then at the age of 31, was appointed Professor of Media and Audiences at Bournemouth University, UK. In September 2006 he joined the School of Media, Arts and Design at the
University of Westminster, London, as Professor of Media and Communications.
His critique of media 'effects' studies sparked controversy in 1995 (see
book,
article), and since then Gauntlett has published a number of books on the role of popular media in people's lives.
This approach asks participants to
make something as part of the research process. The
Art Lab uses
creative and as research tools 'to gain an insight into people's relationships with contemporary media culture. Instead of just talking to people in
interviews or
focus groups, these approaches get participants doing things, as a different way of getting inside their relationship to a particular topic'. The process of
making something, and then
reflecting upon it, is claimed to give a more nuanced insight into what people feel about an issue.
Previous studies have invited participants to make
video,
diaries,
collage, and
drawings. Since 2005, Gauntlett has been exploring the use of
Lego Serious Play as a tool in
sociology and
social research. This approach makes use of
metaphor and invites participants to build metaphorical models of their identities.
His theoretical work on the role of media in the construction of identities (e.g.
Media, Gender and Identity) builds on the work of
Anthony Giddens,
Michel Foucault, and
postfeminism. The new creative methods build in part
experiential and
constructionist learning, and on the ideas of
Maurice Merleau-Ponty and
Paul Ricoeur.
Gauntlett produces the well-known media theory website,
Theory.org.uk. His other personal projects include
A Drawing A Day (ongoing), the
Theory Trading Cards (1999-04) and
Send Me Stuff (2002).
He also contributes to Wikipedia occasionally.
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Moving Experiences: Understanding Television's Influences and Effects (1995)
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Video Critical: Children, The Environment and Media Power (1997)
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TV Living: Television, Culture and Everyday Life (1999)
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Web.Studies: Rewiring Media Studies For The Digital Age (2000)
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Media, Gender and Identity (2002)
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Web.Studies, second edition (2004)
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Moving Experiences, second edition: Media Effects and Beyond (2005)
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Creative Explorations: New approaches to identities and audiences (2007)
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David Gauntlett - Main page with information about books and projects
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Theory.org.uk - Media theory website
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Artlab.org.uk - Website about new creative/visual research
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Building metaphors in Lego - Information about the project
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Video Critical - Online version of the 1997 book, with abridged text, and photographs
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Ten things wrong with the media effects model (1998)
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Japanese Cybercultures - Preface to book (2002)
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Articles accompanying the book Media, Gender and Identity including interviews, articles, extended chapter (2002-03)
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Web.Studies introduction chapter (2004)
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Popular Media and Self-Identity: New approaches - Inaugural lecture (2004)
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IAMCR conference paper on using new creative visual research methods to understand the place of popular media in people's lives (2004)
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Using Creative Visual Research Methods to Understand Media Audiences from
Medienpädagogik (Media Education), vol. 4, no. 1 (2005)
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Visual Studies interview about new creative methods (2006)
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Interview about Lego Serious Play (2006)
