Popular Culture

A theory-based exploration of the way culture travels in and out of the symbolic form of narrative: what other forms are there, and how do they mix?

What do stories in games have in common with political narratives? The book identifies narrative strategies as mechanisms for meaning and manipulation in games and real life.

The anthology seeks to examine video game paratexts: Which paratexts have gaming cultures produced? And how do paratexts influence the development of games?

Space is the dominant element of computer games. This book successfully explores the various relations between games and spatial representation, and thus opens up a new field in game studies.

From Jazz to Hip-Hop – This book illuminates the use of popular music in international relations and its repercussions from the 20th century until the present.

Why do we play games? What are the rules for the Magic Circle? This book takes a closer look at the motivational system that is the game mechanics.

This book provides the production history and a contextual interpretation of The Beatles' movies (A Hard Day's Night, Help!, Yellow Submarine, Let It Be) and describes their ability to project the group's image at different stages in their career. It also includes a discussion of all of The Beatles' promotional films and videos, as well as their television cartoon series and the self-produced television special Magical Mystery Tour. Along with The Beatles' feature movies and promos, this analysis also contains documentaries, such as The Compleat Beatles and Anthology, as well as dramatizations of the band's history, such as Backbeat, The Hours and Times, and Two of Us.