The Signs of Our Times: Semiotics in 2016 and Beyond | Michael Mills | TEDxSUNYGeneseo

This TEDX talk discusses the concept of semiotics, the study of signs, and then applies those concepts to a series of historical and contemporary images to illustrate the range of this interpretation through individual and cultural lenses, as well as examining the past, present, and future of signs like the swastika that are emblematic of changing attitudes and meaning and politics. The talk then moves more global in scope and discusses how maps and symbolic representations can affect attitudes about place and people, concentrating on a specific region, the Middle East, to discuss how signs and semiotics affect how the conflicts there are being interpreted, especially emphasizing how ISIS uses semiotics and the way in which the media and politicians are interpreting the group’s behavior and what those interpretations might mean for the future in that region and universally. Dr. Michael Thomas Mills is Director of National Fellowships and Scholarships at SUNY Geneseo. Mills holds degrees in English, Literature and Curriculum Studies and spent 25 years at Georgia Southern University, the University of Northern Colorado, and the University of North Carolina Wilmington before moving to Geneseo in July 2015. His work in semiotics has been highlighted in a number of national media outlets, including National Public Radio's program "The Academic Minute." This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx