Software

Software, defined as the totality of computer programmes and codes that allow computer systems and networks to function, is increasingly considered the focal point of new or digital media studies, both in the United States and in Europe, because of the perceived need to address the invisibility, ubiquity, and power of digital media. Many scholars in the field wonder whether a global picture of digital media as a concept and a discipline is possible and position software as the minimal characteristic of digital media. This growing interest in software mobilizes scholars from very different disciplines including social sciences, computer sciences, and the humanities. This entry provides an overview of software as it relates to media and cultural studies, including the reasons why software is studied, ...