Alison Hedley
Data Visualization and Population Politics in Pearson’s Magazine, 1896–1902
Toronto Metropolitan University
article investigates population journalism findesicle periodical genre combined data visualization narrative analysis vital statistics human populations visualization population data population journalism combined victorian popular culture population politics michel foucault terms biopolitics following overview biopolitics vital statistics data visualization long nineteenth century article focuses population journalism pearsons magazine examine genre combined verbal rhetoric statistical narrative visual spatial material aesthetics data visualization represent british nation managed population body pearsons used two types images population journalism abstract data visualizations reproduced lineblock engraving photorealistic data visualizations reproduced halftone engraving respective aesthetics abstract photorealistic population visualizations imbricated modern image reproduction technology modern statistical methods encouraging readers conflate population politics popular culture abstract visualizations rationalized individual body abstract population unit photorealistic visualizations remediated individual body component multimodal mass print spectacle case study demonstrates historical contemporary population data visualization set practices quantifying human life enacts biopolitics normalization analysis also shows fully understanding politics requires attention roles played medium aesthetic affordances particular data visualization media literacy users ideological genealogy data visualization practices produced