"Visual Methodologies is a critical introduction to the study and interpretation of visual culture. Written especially for the undergraduate or researcher who wants to learn more about working with visual materials, this book outlines which methods of interpretation are available and explains how to use them." "The introduction contextualises recent debates about visual culture (situating the visual in social and cultural context); while each subsequent chapter reviews a different method for interpreting visual images. The methods explained are: compositional interpretation, contents analysis, semiology, pyschoanalysis, types of discourse analysis, and the study of audiences. Each method is assessed in relation to an appropriate case study and in relation to the wider issues defined in the introduction; the conclusion demonstrates how different methods can be used in conjunction with each other." A comprehensive and integrated primer in applied methods - including discussion boxes, media specific bibliographies and notes for further reading - Visual Methodologies will be an essential reference for the study of visual culture in the social sciences.