A Screen Paradox: Tracing Digital Materialism As Conditioned By The Screen

Abstract

Situating itself as a critical amendment to an emerging viewpoint in media studies, that of digital materialism, this thesis seeks to address a lack of attention to the important role the screen as a display device plays in the material manifestation of digital phenomena. This role is postulated as a paradox, where on the one side the screen facilitates digital materialism, and limits that same digital materialism on the other. Each of this paradox’ legs are then examined in separate chapters, to gain a better understanding of the screen’s location in a modern mediascape. This understanding is necessary as the screen is the predominant medium for the digital to gain materiality. In order to further develop digital materialism as a theoretical viewpoint, then, the part the screen plays must be understood.