Drawing on art; media; and phenomenological sources; Showing Off!: A Philosophy of Image challenges much recent thought by proposing a fundamentally positive relationship between visuality and the ethical. In philosophy; cultural studies and art; relationships between visuality and the ethical are usually theorized in negative terms; according to the dyadic logics of seeing on the one hand; and being seen; on the other. Here; agency and power are assumed to operate either on the side of those who see; or on the side of those who control the means by which people and things enter into visibility. To be seen; by contrast - when it occurs outside of those parameters of control- is to be at a disadvantage; hence; for instance; contemporary theorist Peggy Phelans rejection of the idea; central to activist practices of the 1970s and 80s; that projects of political emancipation must be intertwined with; and are dependent on; processes of making oneself visible. Acknowledgment of the vulnerability of visibility also underlies the realities of life lived within increasingly pervasive systems of imposed and self-imposed surveillance; and apparently confident public performances of visual self display.Showing Off!: A Philosophy of Image is written against the backdrop of these phenomena; positions and concerns; but asks what happens to our debates about visibility when a third term; that of self-showing; is brought into play. Indeed; it proposes a fundamentally positive relationship between visuality and the ethical; one primarily rooted not in acts of open and non-oppressive seeing or spectating; as might be expected; but rather in our capacity to inhabit both the risks and the possibilities of our own visible being. In other words; this book maintains that the proper site of generosity and agency within any visual encounter is located not on the side of sight; but on that of self-showing - or showing off!
#1380867 in eBooks 2011-10-31 2014-05-12File Name: B00KBAAWCA
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A Journey of Immense SignificanceBy Neil MadsenHugh Kelly commences the introduction of ldquo;24-Hour Citiesrdquo; with a tour of his neighborhood in Brooklyn; New York. With an easy-going friendliness reminiscent of Jane Jacobs (whom he credits numerous times); Kelly invites you to join him for a stroll around the block; pointing out human and streetscape features and their significance along the way. So begins a journey of immense significance ndash; a robust examination of how Americarsquo;s cities evolved; a rigorous testing of his hypothesis that certain ones have outperformed over time; and a thoughtful explanation as to why.As a real estate economics student of Hugh Kelly 25 years ago; I learned a few things that I never forgot: Donrsquo;t extrapolate trends ad infinitum. Be humble before the data. There is no point in doing research unless you are willing to be surprised. These lessons come through loud and clear in the book as Kelly practices what he preaches. Free from ulterior motives and glib assertions; Kelly approaches his subject with a heroic determination to unearth the truth; and summarizes the enormous amount of research he conducted to find it. He then explains his findings in the context of American history as it unfolded. Delightfully; he manages to present his case enjoyably; capturing the changing moods and attitudes of American culture along the way with deft reminders of TV shows we watched; sports teams we cheered; and music we listened to while all this was going on. Although its lessons are worthy of study by any economics student; this is not a dry textbook. I read my copy on the beach.SPOILER ALERT: 24-hour cities do -- and and will continue to -- outperform the rest of America. Kelly drives this point home with the academic integrity you would expect from a university professor; and the readability you would expect from a storyteller. Highly recommended.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. What an great read! Hugh Kelly weaves his extensive personal experiences ...By Thomas WetjenWhat an great read! Hugh Kelly weaves his extensive personal experiences and thoughtful reflections into well documented vision of our urban experience as we grow forward in the 21st Century. This vision definitely replaces any ldquo;city of tomorrowrdquo; models with grand urban plans wersquo;ve been accustomed to. The book defines and compares a set of ldquo;24 Hour Citiesrdquo; to ldquo;9 to 5 Citiesrdquo;; exploring strategies each has used to manage growth and success over the past decades. Kelly uses clear measures and data to lay out his analysis; and most interestingly adds his personal observations and long experience to examine and compare how these plans have been working out. In considering the whys; and while disclaiming any single path to success; Kelly suggests a recipe that may explain what makes ldquo;24 Hour Citiesrdquo; emerge and thrive.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Enjoyable; Readable and Written to High Academic StandardsBy Stewart rubin"24-Hour Cities: Real Investment Performance; Not Just Promisesrdquo; is one of the more important urban economics books written in the past decade. It explores the vitality of various urban areas and determines which are the most vibrant. It is up to date and includes references to walkscores as well as recent changes to the urban landscape. The volume is written to the high academic standards of a well-researched textbook but presented in a way that makes for enjoyable and interesting reading. This volume should be included in the reading list of any urban economics/studies/infrastructure/engineering course. Dr. Kellyrsquo;s erudition is not limited to urban economics as revealed through the many classical; ancient; and biblical references scattered throughout the book.Although I respect the detailed analysis that went in to the determination of 24-hour cities; I differ with part of the conclusion and would include Seattle and Philadelphia as 24-hour cities and exclude Las Vegas.This book is an enjoyable and informative read. I would recommend it for academic or non-academic study and for anyone seeking to understand the source of a cityrsquo;s greatness.
