This Contextual Studies course will explore contemporary and recent art and design in the context of new thinking about affect. The 'affective turn' crosses cultural and political theory and aesthetics and places emphasis on the role and status of affect in relation to perception, cognition and experience in the world today. This course will proceed from the broader context of discussion and debate and will examine how art and design contribute to and modulate new concepts of affect. It will explore how the ‘turn to affect’ provides a new approach to understanding the political and social capacities, agency and impact of art and design for contemporary life. Students will gain an understanding of the debates, context and vocabulary around affect and will be able to identify art and design that contributes to affective aesthetics. They will develop skills that facilitate affective art and design practices especially in relation to new media technologies and art forms that enhance experience and engagement with artworks.