As a result of digitalization, sexually explicit media content is now produced and distributed in much greater quantity and variety in private, public, and commercial contexts. Increased normalization of pornography, greater sexualization of media content, and the public debates associated with these developments are indicative of a trend towards pornification. At the same time, interdisciplinary pornography research has been evolving in recent decades, with communication science making important contributions to this area. However, in contrast to gaming research, pornography research is institutionalized to a much lesser extent.
Therefore, the Media Psychology and Media Design Group at TU Ilmenau, together with national and international co-editors, has organized a special issue of the communication science journal Studies in Communication and Media (SCM) (Issue 4/2024) on the topic of pornification. The special issue features five empirical contributions addressing: (1) press coverage of OnlyFans, (2) self-produced pornography by gay, bisexual, and queer men, (3) different types of pornography viewed by women and men, either alone or together with a partner, (4) evaluations of computer-generated pornography, and (5) the promotion of pornography literacy. Additionally, the special issue includes an editorial providing contextual insights.
Sources:
- Döring, N., Krämer, N., Miller, D.J., Quandt, T., & Vowe, G. (Eds.) (2024). Media Representations of Sexuality in an Era of Pornification. Special Issue of the Journal “Studies in Communication and Media (SCM)“ 4/2024. https://doi.org/10.5771/2192-4007-2024-4
- Döring, N., Krämer, N., Miller, D.J., Quandt, T., & Vowe, G. (2024). Media Representations of Sexuality in an Era of Pornification. Editorial to the Special Issue. Studies in Communicationand Media SCM, 13(4), 385-400. https://doi.org/10.5771/2192-4007-2024-4-385