Screen Culture and the Social Question, 1880–1914

Download or read book Screen Culture and the Social Question, 1880–1914 written by Ludwig Vogl-Bienek and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 2014-01-20 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Essays exploring how reformers and charities used the “magic lantern” to raise public awareness of poverty. Public performances using the magic or optical lantern became a prominent part of the social fabric of the late nineteenth century. Drawing on a rich variety of primary sources, Screen Culture and the Social Question, 1880-1914 investigates how the magic lantern and cinematograph, used at public lectures, church services, and electoral campaigns, became agents of social change. The essays examine how social reformers and charitable organizations used the “art of projection” to raise public awareness of the living conditions of the poor and the destitute, as they argued for reform and encouraged audiences to work to better their lot and that of others.