PowerPoint has become an integral part of academic and professional life across the globe. In this book, Hubert Knoblauch offers the first complete analysis of the PowerPoint presentation as a form of communication. Knoblauch charts the diffusion of PowerPoint and explores its significance as a ubiquitous and influential element of contemporary communication culture. His analysis considers the social and intellectual implications of the genre, focusing on the dynamic relationships between the aural, visual and physical dimensions of PowerPoint presentations, as well as the diverse institutional contexts in which these presentations take place. Ultimately, Knoblauch argues that the parameters of the PowerPoint genre frames the ways in which information is presented, validated and absorbed, with ambiguous consequences for the acquisition and transmission of knowledge. This original and timely book is relevant to scholars of communications, sociology and education.

'… The book is intended for an academic audience with an interest in understanding how knowledge is created via powerpoint. … Knoblauch’s book is an extensive and in-depth investigation into why powerpoint has become the de facto presentation style.... This book is a first step to fully understanding a means of communication that is exploding in use.'

Kimberly Fairchild Kimberly Fairchild Source: PsycCRITIQUES

'On the whole, this is a significant work which examines the globally important phenomenon of PowerPoint - and powerpoint - in a context that is highly meaningful for sociological theory … The study is not just about the software and related performances but also about the contemporary development of information and knowledge society, which has been a major social and cultural change across the globe. The analysis is also pertinent to the classic questions concerning human action that have captivated the greatest sociological thinkers … the overall quality and significance make it a valuable piece of sociological scholarship.'

Stanisław Krawczyk Source: State of Affairs