Prelims
Understanding Comics-Based Research: A Practical Guide for Social Scientists
ISBN: 978-1-83753-463-0, eISBN: 978-1-83753-462-3
Publication date: 11 September 2023
Citation
Moretti, V. (2023), "Prelims", Understanding Comics-Based Research: A Practical Guide for Social Scientists, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. i-xii. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83753-462-320231007
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2023 Veronica Moretti
Half Title Page
Understanding Comics-Based Research
Title Page
UNDERSTANDING COMICS-BASED RESEARCH
A Practical Guide for Social Scientists
BY
VERONICA MORETTI
University of Bologna, Italy
United Kingdom – North America – Japan – India – Malaysia – China
Copyright Page
Emerald Publishing Limited
Emerald Publishing, Floor 5, Northspring, 21-23 Wellington Street, Leeds LS1 4DL.
First edition 2023
Copyright © 2023 Veronica Moretti.
Published under an exclusive license by Emerald Publishing Limited.
Reprints and permissions service
Contact: www.copyright.com
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without either the prior written permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying issued in the UK by The Copyright Licensing Agency and in the USA by The Copyright Clearance Center. Any opinions expressed in the chapters are those of the authors. Whilst Emerald makes every effort to ensure the quality and accuracy of its content, Emerald makes no representation implied or otherwise, as to the chapters’ suitability and application and disclaims any warranties, express or implied, to their use.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978-1-83753-463-0 (Print)
ISBN: 978-1-83753-462-3 (Online)
ISBN: 978-1-83753-464-7 (Epub)
Dedication Page
This book is not dedicated to a specific person. I’d like to think that this manuscript is the fruit of that part of academia that still believes in color, passion and gratitude. To those parts, I hereby dedicate my book.
Contents
| List of Figures | ix | |
| About the Author | x | |
| Acknowledgments | xi | |
| Introduction | 1 | |
| 1. | The Comics Jargon | 9 |
| 1. What Is Comics? Providing Vocabulary and Examples of Comics Terminology | 9 | |
| 2. A Short History of Comics in Popular Culture | 14 | |
| 3. Unrequited Love: from Comics to the Graphic Novel | 20 | |
| 4. Cartoonists Behind the Scenes | 22 | |
| 5. The Exciting Evolution of Comics Production (and Why It’s a Big Deal!) | 25 | |
| 2. | Graphic Social Sciences | 29 |
| 1. The Interplay of Social Sciences and Comics | 29 | |
| 2. Comics and Visual Studies | 32 | |
| 3. Comics in Education | 34 | |
| 4. Comics and Anthropology | 36 | |
| 5. Comics and Sociology | 40 | |
| 3. | Drafting Comics-Based Research | 49 |
| 1. Creative Thinking: Planning Research Strategy | 49 | |
| 2. Gathering Comics-Data | 52 | |
| 3. Analyzing Comics-Data | 59 | |
| 4. Dissemination and Communication | 62 | |
| 5. Ethical Dimension and Practical Challenge | 68 | |
| 4. | The Social Genres of Comics | 77 |
| 1. Genres in Comics | 77 | |
| 2. When Comics Meet Health: Graphic Medicine | 80 | |
| 3. A Graphic Journey of Migration | 84 | |
| 4. Eco-comics: Using Images to Describe Climate Change | 89 | |
| 5. Women and Gender in Comics | 93 | |
| Conclusion | 101 | |
| Index | 103 | |
List of Figures
| Fig. I | Myself | xi |
| Fig. II | The Person Who Supported Me the Most. | xii |
| Fig. III | Hypothetical Readers. | xii |
| Fig. 1.1 | The Man with the Axe. | 13 |
| Fig. 1.2 | Zap Comix. | 18 |
| Fig. 1.3 | Binky Brown Meets the Holy Virgin Mary. | 19 |
| Fig. 2.1 | Social and Cultural Diversity. | 40 |
| Fig. 3.1 | Compassion Fatigue Vignette. | 55 |
| Fig. 3.2 | Myself as an Animal Character. | 58 |
| Fig. 3.3 | Why I Decided to Study Medicine. | 59 |
| Fig. 3.4 | When We Were Happy | 65 |
| Fig. 3.5 | Loosing a Part of Myself | 66 |
| Fig. 3.6 | Body Donors. | 67 |
| Fig. 3.7 | Bodies. | 68 |
| Fig. 4.1 | Mom's Cancer. | 82 |
| Fig. 4.2 | When David Lost His Voice – Keeping His Father's Message. | 83 |
| Fig. 4.3 | The Most Costly Journey. | 87 |
| Fig. 4.4 | The Everyday Stories of Climate Change. | 92 |
| Fig. 4.5 | Priya Shakti. | 95 |
| Fig. 4.6 | Fighting Stigma. | 95 |
About the Author
Veronica Moretti is an Assistant Professor at the University of Bologna. Her main research interests lie in the field of creative methods within social research and on the intersections between technology and human activities, with specific emphasis on the medical sociology. She is currently using several innovative teaching strategies applied to “health education” activism, ranging from the use of graphic novels to the use of audio-diary recording with healthcare professionals to develop their social and relational skills. Also, she is one of the founders of the Graphic Medicine Italia association.
Acknowledgments
So, to start off, that’s myself (Fig. I) enjoying these months of intense writing, studying, and drawing.
And, as is expected in most publications, I thank the person who supported me the most (Fig. II).
And these are the hypothetical readers (Fig. III) I want to thank in advance for joining me on this venture!
