INTRODUCTION TO MEDIA STUDIES

1. COURSE OBJECTIVES

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This course provides a comprehensive overview of the field of Media Studies. It is intended

for any student who wishes to learn more about the role of media in today’s society. Each

week, we explore different aspects of contemporary mediascape by diving into different

subject areas including the history, production, industry, representation, audience, contents,

effects, and social change. Within these broad subject areas, weekly lectures will cover a

range of theories, methods, and case studies to discuss various ways to approach and

analyze media and demonstrate that there are much more complex power relations

surrounding media than we often take for granted. Combining multiple perspectives is

necessary to better understand the parameters of social changes rapidly occurring in the

present, which in turn, will shape our knowledge about the potential future. Therefore,

ideally, you will recognize the linkages among weekly topics and be able to step back and

ask broader questions about the relationship between media, society, and yourself.

 

By the end of the term, you should be able to:

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  • recognize the basic issues and questions in Media Studies;

  • demonstrate a familiarity with the terms and concepts used in Media Studies;

  •  in essence, understand the relevance of Media Studies in your everyday life.

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2. REQUIREMENTS

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Your job is to think analytically and critically about your experiences with media. Also, this is a writing-intensive course that fulfills the requirement for Advanced Composition. Because of that, the writing in this course:

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  • demands analysis and synthesis of the subject matter presented in the course.

  • requires original composition (totaling 15 to 20 pages over the course of the semester), and

  • involves multiple drafts throughout the course of the semester.

3. WEEKLY TOPICS

Week 1.    INTRODUCTION TO MEDIA STUDIES                   

                             

Week 2.    HISTORY, REMEDIATION, RETRO MEDIA

     

      Gitelman, L. (2006). Always Already New. 

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Week 3.    MEDIA PRODUCTION

 

       Media production and industries, organizational analysis of media

       Havens, T. & Lotz, A. (2011). Understanding Media Industries.

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WEEK 4.     POLITICAL ECONOMY

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       Media ownership and labor, institutional analysis of media 

       Mayer, V. (2011).  Below the Line.  

                  

 

WEEK 5.     MEDIA CONTENT 

 

        Quantitative analysis of media  

 

 WEEK 6.    MEDIA EFFECT

 

         Media effects theory, media echo chamber

           

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Week 7.     REPRESENTATION

 

          Textual/visual analysis of media and politics of representation 

               

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WEEK 8.    REPRESENTATION (CONT'D)

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WEEK 9.    AUDIENCE  

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           Media audience research, audience commodity  

             

WEEK 10.   AUDIENCE (CONT'D)

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           Marwick, A. (2015). Instafame: Luxury Selfies in the Attention Economy         

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WEEK 11.   THANKSGIVING BREAK

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WEEK 12.    SOCIAL MEDIA AND PARTICIPATORY CULTURE

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          Burgess, J. & Green, J. (2018). Selected chapters from YouTube: Online Video   

          and Participatory Culture

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WEEK 13.   REMIX, COPYRIGHTS, AND IP 

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            Screening: RIP! A Remix Manifesto

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WEEK 14.   IN-CLASS PRESENTATIONS

 

WEEK 15 - 16.   FINAL  

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