The Creative System In Action

The first of its kind, this book focuses on empirical studies into creative output that use and test the systems approach. The collection of work from cultural studies, sociology, psychology, communication and media studies, and the arts depicts holistic and innovative ways to understand creativity as a system in action.

This book provides fresh insight into the creative practice developed by Paul McCartney over his extended career as a songwriter, record producer and performing musician. It frames its examination of McCartney’s work through the lens of the systems model of creativity developed by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and combines this with the research work of Pierre Bourdieu. This systems approach is built around the basic structures of idiosyncratic agents, like McCartney himself, and the choices he has made as a creative individual. It also locates his work within social fields and cultural domains, all crucial aspects of the creative system that McCartney continues to be immersed in. Using this tripartite system, the book includes analysis of McCartney’s creative collaborations with musicians, producers, artists and filmmakers and provides a critical analysis of the Romantic myth which forms a central tenet of popular music. This engaging work will have interdisciplinary appeal to students and scholars of the psychology of creativity, popular music, sociology and cultural studies.

This book is a response to the question asked by incoming students of the Creative Industries sector: ‘what can I do in the Creative Industries’. This volume is designed to provide a source of inspiration to readers in imagining their own futures within fields such as musical performance, media production, drawing and illustration, journalism, public relations, filmmaking, design, documentary, dramatic performance, virtual reality and others covered in these chapters. Presented here are pathways through the lived experience of the Creative Industries, from practitioners and theorists, educators and researchers at the University of Newcastle, Australia. Each chapter offers a partly autobiographical account of the author’s journey through their field, engaging with their overall philosophy or the key ideas, the challenges and opportunities that have inspired them in their research and creative practice. Some chapters focus on a singular, pivotal moment or project, while others draw upon the breadth of an entire career. Collectively, these accounts bring to life the career possibilities within a rapidly expanding global sector of creativity and innovation with immense cultural, social, political and economic impact.

The Bloomsbury Handbook of Music Production provides a detailed overview of current research on the production of mono and stereo recorded music. The handbook consists of 33 chapters, each written by leaders in the field of music production. Examining the technologies and places of music production as well the broad range of practices – organization, recording, desktop production, post-production and distribution – this edited collection looks at production as it has developed around the world. In addition, rather than isolating issues such as gender, race and sexuality in separate chapters, these points are threaded throughout the entire text.

"Designed for children ages nine to twelve, Art in action 2 is the second of a two-volume set. The companion volume, Art in action 1, presents more elementary projects that are suitable for children ages five through eight." - book cover.

As a part of an extensive exploration, Reimagining Communication: Action investigates the practical implications of communication as a cultural industry, media ecology, and a complex social activity integral to all domains of life. The Reimagining Communication series develops a new information architecture for the field of communications studies, grounded in its interdisciplinary origins and looking ahead to emerging trends as researchers take into account new media technologies and their impacts on society and culture. The diverse and comprehensive body of contributions in this unique interdisciplinary resource explore communication as a form of action within a mix of social, cultural, political, and economic contexts. They emphasize the continuously expanding horizons of the field by engaging with the latest trends in practical inquiry within communication studies. Reflecting on the truly diverse implications of communicative processes and representations, Reimagining Communication: Action covers key practical developments of concern to the field. It integrates diverse theoretical and practice-based perspectives to emphasize the purpose and significance of communication to human experience at individual and social levels in a uniquely accessible and engaging way. This is an essential introductory text for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, along with scholars of communication, broadcast media, and interactive technologies, with an interdisciplinary focus and an emphasis on the integration of new technologies.