ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book introduces readers to the diverse set of methodologies used in critical media studies, a broadly international and interdisciplinary field that encompasses research related to film, television, radio, games, popular music, and the Internet. Critical media scholars understand media culture as encompassing not just the world of media texts, but also the realms of media production and media consumption. The book provides readers with a plentiful toolkit of methods that can be used when developing one's own studies and interpretations of media culture. It discusses the mixed methodologies that inform the areas of critical media inquiry as genre, history, production, and globalization. The book also describes the particular methodological challenges that arise when researching new and complicated media forms, such as games, software, and Internet-based cultures.
