A series exploring the media “input” of a group of people — our commercial semiotician colleagues, from around the world — whose “output” we admire.

Cape Town/Frankfurt…

SEMIOVOX

What forms of media do you “take in” the most regularly/frequently, during a typical day or week?

INKA CROSSWAITE

I start the day with various online newspapers which offer a balanced view of the world while supporting a more eco-conscious routine. Radio provides a steady backdrop throughout the day; a mix of music and cultural and commentary keeps me mentally engaged as I cook or tidy up. I also often listen to podcasts ranging from politics and culture to science.

Printed books are my reset button. There is something grounding in their weight and the quiet ritual of turning pages offers a sensory pause in an otherwise digital world. I wouldn’t call myself a bookworm, but after a day of decoding meaning and navigating digital input, slipping into a well-crafted novel feels like a quiet indulgence.

Films are a real passion of mine. I love the big-screen experience and often head to the cinema, but I also make time for weekly home screenings. Films are one way of staying connected to stories from around the world.

Social media, for me, is more fieldwork than leisure. I use platforms like YouTube, Instagram, X, and TikTok mainly as tools for observation rather than sharing. They are my digital windows into contemporary culture and complement the inspiration I draw from immersing myself in the urban rhythms of cities like Frankfurt, Cologne, and Cape Town.

SEMIOVOX

What work of literature (old or new) would you recommend to someone trying to make sense of today’s world?

INKA CROSSWAITE

One book that has stayed with me is Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro. It is a powerful and beautiful exploration of what it means to be human, all told through the eyes of someone who isn’t. Klara, an artificial friend, observes love, grief and social interaction with a mix of clinical precision and childlike wonder. She mirrors our emotional world without fully grasping it. Her friendship is pure, but also programmed, raising the important question what distinguishes real connection from simulation.

In a time when AI is becoming increasingly integrated into daily life, Ishiguro invites to reflect: What do we mean by feeling, and what happens when machines begin to mimic it?

SEMIOVOX

What work of nonfiction (old or new) would you recommend to someone trying to make sense of today’s world?

INKA CROSSWAITE

I would recommend Walter Benjamin’s “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction” because it touches on today’s anxieties around AI-generated art. Benjamin argued that when art is endlessly reproduced, it begins to lose its aura: the unique presence in time and space, its soul, so to speak. His essay offers an interesting lens for today’s debates, e.g. can AI-generated art possess a soul, or can it truly move us if it is made without a human maker? Benjamin does not provide answers for today’s debates, but he offers a philosophical framework to question what we truly value in creativity.

SEMIOVOX

What are your reading habits?

INKA CROSSWAITE

Reading is my daily wind-down ritual, my personal lullaby in paperback. Some pages in bed, and I am either happily asleep or wide awake, depending on the plot. I love slipping into someone else’s mind, seeing the world through their words, and imagining the scenes like a private movie. A book is my portable muse, whether I am waiting for an appointment, cooling off between sauna rounds, or relaxing by the water’s edge in summer.

SEMIOVOX

What’s the best movie you’ve ever seen?

INKA CROSSWAITE

With a head full of movie memories (thanks to Media Studies), choosing a single favourite feels almost disloyal to the rest. But if I had to pick, it would be Tarkovsky’s Nostalghia. It is slow cinema at its most meditative, where time stretches and reality blurs. Nostalghia is poetic; it feels as though the screen opens onto something far larger than the story itself. Definitely not a popcorn flick, but a full-on soul soak.

SEMIOVOX

What’s the best TV series you’ve seen recently?

INKA CROSSWAITE

I recently watched Baby Reindeer. It is a gripping mix of dark drama and intense character study that pulled me in from the start. What stood out for me was the deep dive into complex emotions and morally ambiguous characters, made even more striking by the unexpected dynamic of a female stalker. The series feels raw and unfiltered, exploring how past traumas shape the present, and keeps one hooked with just enough tension. Baby Reindeer is not an easy watch, but this makes it so interesting and thought-provoking.

MEDIA DIET: GIANLLUCA SIMI (Brazil) | HIBATO BEN AHMED (France) | MARIE LENA TUPOT (USA) | EUGENE GORNY (Thailand) | YOGI HENDLIN (Netherlands / USA) | INKA CROSSWAITE (Germany / South Africa) | SÓNIA MARQUES (Portugal) | ĽUDMILA LACKOVÁ BENNETT (Czechia) | BRIAN KHUMALO (USA / South Africa) | JIAKUN WANG (Shanghai) | FRANCISCO HAUSS (China / Mexico) | ASHLEY MAURITZEN (England) | STEFANIA GOGNA (Italy) | BECKS COLLINS (England) | ANTJE WEISSENBORN (Germany) | MARIANE CARA (Brazil) | VICTORIA GERSTMAN (Scotland) | TBD (TBD) | COCO WU (Singapore / China) | JOSH GLENN (USA) | JENNIFER VASILACHE (Switzerland) | ANDREA BASUNTI (England) | SARAH JOHNSON (Canada) | PAULINA GOCH-KENAWY (Poland) | MARTHA ARANGO (Sweden).

Also see these global semio series: MAKING SENSE (Q&As) | SEMIOFEST SESSIONS (monthly mini-conferences) | COVID CODES | SEMIO OBJECTS | COLOR CODEX | DECODER (fictional semioticians) | CASE FILE | PHOTO OP | MEDIA DIET.