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What's New?Joint doctorate in comms celebrates 25 years with special McLuhan eventThe Université de Montreal (UdeM), Université de Québec à Montréal (UQAM) and Concordia celebrated the 25th anniversary of their Joint Doctorate in Communication with a special event held recently at the Société des arts technologiques (SAT). « more » Congratulations!
... to M.E. Luka, PhD Candidate in Communication Studies, on winning the prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship! « more » Dates to Remember
Find out more ...News PublicationsConcordia Research Chair Launches Book on Subliminal Messaging ControversyFebruary 22nd, 2012
For communications professor Charles Acland, the idea of subliminal influence indicates an “extraordinary faith in the power of even the most fleeting words, sounds and images to shape our unconscious.” In Swift Viewing: The Popular Life of Subliminal Influence, Acland, a professor and research chair in Concordia’s Department of Communication Studies, traces the evolution of subliminal influence from a concept in experimental psychology to a mainstream belief about what he calls “our vulnerability to manipulation in an age of media clutter.” Since theories of subliminal influence first found their way into mainstream culture in the late 1950s, public opinion surveys have shown that up to 70 per cent of respondents think that advertisers use subliminal techniques, whether the message is to buy a particular product or to confirm to a certain way of thinking. For Acland, the idea of subliminal influence, regardless of its existence or direct effectiveness, indicates an “extraordinary faith in the power of even the most fleeting words, sounds and images to shape our unconscious.” By providing a broad survey of examples ranging from Marshall McLuhan’s media theories to representations of mind control in sci-fi movies, Acland examines the subliminal as “both a product of and balm for information overload.” In so doing, he creates what acclaimed author Fred Turner calls a “much-needed and frighteningly contemporary history.” Through the historical sweep of Swift Viewing, Acland shows that the concept of subliminal influence has its origins as far back as the late 1800s. His detailed chapter on the tachistoscope, a tool used to quickly slide images past a viewer’s eye to measure the length of exposure necessary for perception, demonstrates that we have had “a fascination with the rapid arrival and departure of texts” for more than a century. By tracing this fascination through its mainstream adoption and subsequent debunking that there are any actual effects, and following its continued traction in everything from presidential campaigns to episodes of TV’s Family Guy, Acland proves that this concept has staying power and is specifically connected to the way we understand our audiovisual surroundings. Ultimately, Acland shows that the continued engagement with the concept is one way “individuals share scepticism about their environment,” a scepticism prompted by the daily barrage of information that defines present-day media culture. Related links: Swift Viewing (Duke University Press) Peter van Wyck Short Listed for Canada Prize in Social SciencesFebruary 9th, 2012
“On behalf of the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences, I want to congratulate the 18 authors shortlisted for The Canada Prize, which recognizes outstanding scholarly works in the social sciences and humanities, and their thoughtful contribution to society,” said Graham Carr, president of CFHSS. “We are proud to support exceptional French and English authors who shed new light on intriguing topics ranging from Bethune to women and Canada’s cultural history to the artistry of Tom Thomson and Jean-Paul Riopelle.” The four prizes are each valued at $2,500 and will be presented at a special award ceremony on Friday, March 30, 2012 at the Musée des beaux-arts in Montreal. The nominees are chosen from works supported by CFHSS’s Awards to Scholarly Publications Program and winners are selected by a jury of scholars from across the country. Shortlisted Titles for the Canada PrizesCanada Prize in the HumanitiesFISHER, Susan R. Boys and Girls in No Man's Land: English-Canadian Children and the First World War (UTP) Canada Prize in the Social SciencesHENDERSON, Stuart. Making the Scene: Yorkville and Hip Toronto in the 1960s (UTP) Prix du Canada en sciences humainesBROUILLETTE, Marc André Spatialité textuelle dans la poésie contemporaine (Éditions Nota bene) Prix du Canada en sciences socialesBLAIS, Agnès Une ONG en Rusie post-soviétique (PUL) More Information: Alison Hebbs Representing more than 85,000 researchers in 79 scholarly associations, 79 universities and colleges, and 5 affiliates, the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences is the national voice for the university research and learning community in these disciplines. Media Gallery Opens New Exhibition – Feb 10 to April 13January 30th, 2012
Fanciful: Small Media Momentscurated by Kim Sawchuk and Rae Staseson Featuring the work of Margaret Murphy, Emily Pelstring, Kelly Thompson and Karen Trask, this exhibition plays with our notion of scale and challenges us to reconsider intimacy, domestic display and the role of whimsy in communication. The artists all use a combination of old technologies in conjunction with new media, in highly unique ways, to create surprising connections. February 10th – April 13th, 2012 Gallery hours are Monday-Thursday 9:00 – 4:45pm and Friday 9:00 – 12:45pm For additional information please call Rae Staseson at 514-848-2424 x2535 or x2555. |
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Modern consumers of mass media have long been swayed by the notion that secret, invisible messages are embedded in everything from radio commercials to Hollywood blockbusters. With his new book, Charles Acland takes an in-depth look at the complex history of subliminal influence, and questions what the lasting implications may be for our information-saturated modern world.
February 8, 2012 – Ottawa, Canada – The Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences is pleased to announce the short list of nominees for the Canada Prizes in the Humanities and the Canada Prizes in the Social Sciences. Awarded annually to one work in French and one in English in each category, the prizes are a benchmark for outstanding scholarly work in the humanities and social sciences.