“During 21st century, right-wing populist parties in Europe have gained an unprecedented momentum and are slowly changing its political realms. World events of 2016 such as the UK’s vote to exit...Show more“During 21st century, right-wing populist parties in Europe have gained an unprecedented momentum and are slowly changing its political realms. World events of 2016 such as the UK’s vote to exit the European Union and United States’ presidential election of Donald Trump further underlined the general turn to the populist right. Therefore, it becomes increasingly important to identify and explain the key triggers of voting preferences for such anti-establishment parties in a previously democratic context. The research presents the top five traditional scholarly explanations for increasing support for the populist far-right (immigration, Euroscepticism, new media, globalization, modernization and economic crisis), and further tests them through a comparative analysis of two distinct European states largely affected by the populist resurgence – Hungary and France. The analysis in this paper is based on polling data from the Eurobarometer survey, alongside secondary literature, and attempts not only at testing the above-mentioned scholarly explanations, but pinpointing the similarities and differences of voting preferences for the populist far-right between Eastern and Western European voters, which currently remain under researched.”Show less
This thesis explores the role and influence of artificial intelligence in our contemporary society through the inter-subjective and embodied experience of new media art. By exploring the...Show moreThis thesis explores the role and influence of artificial intelligence in our contemporary society through the inter-subjective and embodied experience of new media art. By exploring the intersecting lines between art, technology, cognition and society, it discusses the potential in artistic practices involving intelligent technologies, to reframe the way in which we engage with Artificial Intelligence. This research benefits from an interdisciplinary approach that reaches through and beyond the field of contemporary art to challenge the mainstream discussion on the future of A.I. and the ethics of its applications. In order to do so, this thesis begins by establishing an understanding of embodiment in light of postcognitive approaches that move away from the dualism of mind and matter and negate representationalist paradigms of perception. This forms the basis from which to explore the particular subjectivities and material encounters in the practice and experience of new media art that engages with intelligent technologies. This thesis uses specific case studies involving creative applications of A.I. in contemporary art to reveal our interaction and co-existence with intelligent technologies as intricate and uniquely entangled. With the support of scientific, philosophical and aesthetic theories, it ultimately argues that such applications of A.I. in artistic practice provide a unique perspective for a transformative encounter with regards to the self, to our performed reality and to our becoming in a posthumanist environment.Show less
This thesis describes a study surrounding the applicability of politeness theory and the presence of communities of practice in the online game environment of World of Warcraft. By applying theory...Show moreThis thesis describes a study surrounding the applicability of politeness theory and the presence of communities of practice in the online game environment of World of Warcraft. By applying theory and methodologies of sociolinguistics in new media, more specifically computer game studies, this is a completely original and multidisciplinary study. Its main hypotheses revolve around communities of practice and politeness theory. First: Multiple communities of practice potentially exist in the social in-game online environment of World of Warcraft. These communities are likely based on different in-game activities players engage in, and what players have achieved in the game environment. Second: Tied to communities of practice, politeness theory is likely applicable in online game environments, despite social distance, power of speakers over one another, and the absolute ranking of impositions being based on game-specific concepts rather than socio-demographic factors. The research conducted involves: participant observation of several in-game environments and communities; the logging of face-threatening acts committed and face-saving strategies employed by players in different game environments; and the analysis of collected data in order to test hypotheses.Show less
Film theory is focussed on (dis-)identification however new media and (video) games changed film by introducing new aesthetics and conventions, which means new analythical methods are also needed.
This work concentrates on the recent developments in digital technologies and the art practices that use these technologies fully or partially, such as photography, new media art and post-internet...Show moreThis work concentrates on the recent developments in digital technologies and the art practices that use these technologies fully or partially, such as photography, new media art and post-internet art. The status of images is always changing, therefore it seems necessary to have an outlook into the status of images in the context of continuous flow of media, which the internet and other digital technologies have created, as well as users’ and creators’ relation to them. By exploring the use of the still image within the context of technological advances, the goal of this thesis is to find out how still images work and circulate in the post-internet context.Show less
