Multimodality and New Literacy Studies

In a joint foreword to Travel Notes From the New Literacy Studies: Case Studies of Practice (Pahl & Rowsell, 2006b) Gunther Kress and myself tried to bring together Multimodality and New Literacy Studies (NLS). We suggested that

[o]ne key question … is how these two fields of study can “speak to each other,” in attempts to find correspondences and differences.

(Kress & Street, 2006, p. vii) In this piece, written to celebrate Gunther’s long and influential career, I will attempt to extend this discussion further in the light of recent work in both fields. My central theme will be the same that we both agreed at this time:

NLS and multimodality … are well placed to explore each others’ strengths and weakness, to develop a conversation that facilitates new growth and more powerful tools.

(Kress & Street, 2006, p. ix) The question of “complementarity” was and continues to be central to that discussion, addressing itself not simply to “a matter of mere eclecticism, but of compatible competences,” where the question arises of “what are the limits and boundaries” (Kress & Street, 2006, p. ix) of each field. We asked, “what does NLS not address that, for instance, a social semiotic theory of multimodality can better handle?” and vice versa “whose tools are better suited to different aspects of the broader task?” (p. ix)