Textual Analysis: A Beginner's Guide

`Alan McKee presents a student friendly introduction to the analysis of cultural texts. The book highlights the cultural differences in interpretation with an array of fascinating examples. Textual Analysis is written in an accessible style with several useful case studies. Each chapter also includes exercises for classroom′ - Jane Stokes, London Metropolitan University

`McKee is a gifted practitioner of the skills he would teach in this book, as well as a lively and engaging writer and one who has a real commitment to making his ideas available to a larger public′ - Henry Jenkins, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

This book provides an indispensable basic introduction to textual analysis. McKee starts from the most basic philosophical foundations that underlie the practice and explains why texts are important and what they tell us about the world they represent.

Textual Analysis guides students away from finding the `correct′ interpretation of a text and explains why we can′t simply ask audiences about the interpretations they make of texts.

Textual Analysis:

- points to the importance of context, genre and modality

- uses excellent examples drawn from popular culture

- provides students with a solid grounding on many of the important concepts underlying media and cultural studies

Written in an accessible and straightforward style Textual Analysis: A Beginners Guide will be essential reading for all students of media, cultural and communication studies.

Alan McKee writes television reviews for Brother/Sister magazine and ABC Radio in West Australia, for whom he also produced the series ′Great Moments in Australian Television′. He is the author of Great Moments in Australian Television: A Genealogy, Oxford University Press, 2000