Using Visual Evidence

• What do we mean by ‘visual evidence’?
• How should we interpret visual texts, and what can they tell us?
• Why is ‘visual literacy’ so important and what benefits does it offer?

Visual evidence encompasses a diverse range of media, from painting, cartoons and photography, to film, television and documentary. The central argument of this book is that visual evidence is a key to understanding both history and the present day and should not be relegated to a supporting role as merely illustrating the written word.

The book shows students, scholars and researchers how to read the visual media to elicit meaning. As primary sources, visual texts can be studied not only for what is directly depicted in the painting or film but also for what it tells us about the people, cultures and societies that made them.

Each chapter features fascinating case studies and examples which situate theory in real life. A major appeal of the book is the wealth of illustrations and photographs of visual texts which are included throughout. The authors make detailed reference to these examples to illustrate the theory surrounding visual evidence. An intriguing case study of an unknown girl’s photo album is just one of many examples offered, showing how we can analyze and learn from the visual text.

This comprehensive and insightful edited collection brings together international media and cultural theorists, historians and art historians to demonstrate the value of visual evidence not only to media and cultural studies, but also to history, the general humanities and the social sciences.