Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "COM 220-2"
COURSE NAME: "Media, Culture and Society"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2016

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Lorenza Parisi
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: TTH 8:30 AM 9:45 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: COM 111
OFFICE HOURS: by appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course examines the mass media as complex social institutions that exercise multiple roles in society—none more crucial than the circulation and validation of social discourses. Introducing students to a variety of theoretical approaches, the course focuses on media operations and textual analysis.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

This course examines the close links between media, culture and society in reference to various topic areas including but not limited to the following: Specific Media including Print Media, Radio, Television & the Internet; Advertising; Media Effects; Media Values & Ethics; Media Literacy; Representation and Stereotyping.

The structure of the media industries is examined, along with the economic, social and political forces that influence the operation of these media and, conversely, how the media structure and influence those same forces. The content of entertainment and news media is analyzed considering the underlying ideas and values presented in this media content, as well as the portrayal of various groups. The role of the audience for media is explored by examining how media organizations seek out and measure the audiences for their products, and to what extent audiences are served by these media. The potential influence of media on people’s attitudes, beliefs and behaviors is discussed. The course also focuses on emerging media based on digital technologies.

This is a lecture and discussion course. We will shift back and forth between discussing theoretical and practical issues in relation to the media and their relation to society. Lectures and discussions will be supported with screenings and presentation of films, televisions programs and other media content. Students are encouraged to propose their own choice of media material for the class.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Primary Objectives

• To familiarize oneself with and develop a firm understanding of key issues in the fields of Media Studies, Cultural Studies, and Sociology.

• To be exposed to and analyze issues stemming from the nexus of media, culture, and society.

Secondary Objectives

• To develop and sharpen one’s critical thinking skills both in oral and written communication.

• To advance one’s ability to produce written texts of varying according to formal academic citation styles.

TEXTBOOK:

Book Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN number	Library Call Number	Comments	Format	Local Bookstore	Online Purchase
Media, Culture and Society: An Introduction	Paul Hodkinson	Sage	978-1412920537

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
Class Participation and Attendance	Class participation consists of your contributions to class discussions and other activities. Classroom participation is encouraged and emphasized. Students are required to come to class having completed the assignments. For Attendance see below.	10% of final grade
Intellectual Autobiography	A one-page intellectual autobiography or a one-page letter addressed to me in which you explain your intellectual and cultural life. This will give me a sense of who you are, what your interests and aspirations are. Also, this exercise will hopefully help you focus and start the semester with a clear mind.	Not Graded
Midterm Exam	short answers and one final essay question.	30% of final grade
Final Exam	short answers and one final essay question.	30 % of final grade
Final paper	Final Paper Requirements: A formal assignment will be handed out after the midterm exam. The completed papers are due on the last day of classes. No extensions will be granted.	30% of the final grade

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Please note that frequent absences automatically lower your participation grade.

Also consider that more than 4 absences will result in your final grade for the course to be dropped by one letter grade. Anything above 6 absences will result in failure.

Lateness: Students more than 10 minutes late are marked as absent. Late arrival (less than 10 minutes) is marked as such, and 3 late arrivals are counted as one absence.

CLASS ETIQUETTE

General: Read the syllabus. 99.9% of your questions will be answered there.

Absence: If you do not attend class, it is your responsibility to find out if changes to the schedule were made.

In-class: Arrive on time and remain in class during the duration of class time. If you must leave, do not leave right at the start of class (when important announcements are being made), during student presentations and during screenings.

Lateness: Attendance is taken at the beginning of each class. If you arrive at the classroom after the day's attendance is taken, it is your responsibility to let the instructor know of your arrival.

Email: Professors maintain regular working hours and have office hours. Do not email on the weekend or the night before class and expect an immediate response. When emailing, please include something in the email text. Do not just send an email with a subject line and attachment.

Phones and computers: Phones are strictly forbidden in class. If you use one, you will be counted as absent. Computers and tablets are allowed on a case-by-case basis. Please ask for permission before using computers in class. All computers must be closed during screenings of media.

Assignment approval: Most assignments require topic approval. Make sure you understand the assignment requirements and submit your proposal in a timely manner. Assignments that need topic approval that are not formally approved will not receive credit.

Assignment extensions: Under special circumstances extensions are given, but you must first ask for permission. If you submit an assignment late without first asking for an extension, your grade will be affected by the normal penalty.

Assignment: When in doubt about an assignment, check Moodle for the most recent information.

Make-up class: If we have to cancel a class for any reason, we will try to schedule a make-up session as soon as possible.

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

The course is structured around readings, short lectures, related in-class activities, discussions, occasional assignments (4) and the screening of film and/or video excerpts.

The following schedule provides a general overview of the topics and themes that we will cover throughout the course. Specific details and additional readings will be revealed/assigned on a weekly basis.

A Moodle Page will be used as support to share updates and news, to collect assignments, to archive readings and other course materials.

Please note that your papers may be submitted to Turnitin (plagiarism detection software).

WEEK 1

- Course introduction: Media, culture and society

Demarcating the field

Approaches to media

Media, Culture And Society, Chapter 1

- Media technologies

Models of communication

Technological determinism vs social construction of media

Media, Culture And Society, Chapter 2

Reading: Chronology of communications media and the rise of mass media

WEEK 2

- Society and Mass Communication

Mass society

Propaganda and Magic bullet theory

Assignment: Intellectual Autobiography

Screening: 'Why we fight' and 'War of the Worlds'

- Media effects

Limited effect paradigm

Uses and gratifications

Functionalism

Media, Culture And Society, Chapter 5

Readings:

Katz Elihu & Lazarsfeld Paul F., (1955). “Between media and mass/the part played by people/the two-step flow of communication”, in Boyd-Barrett, O. & Newbold, C. (eds.) (1995), Approaches to Media: A Reader. New York: St. Martin's Pres, pp. 124-134.

Katz E., Blumler J. G. & Gurevich M., (1974). “Utilization of mass communications by the individuals”, in Boyd-Barrett & O. & Newbold, C. (eds.) (1995), Approaches to Media: A Reader. New York: St. Martin's Pres, pp. 164-173.

WEEK 3

- Media Industry

Media outlets, ownership and regulation

Media, Culture And Society, Chapter 3

Reading: Edward Herman, (1995). “Media in U.S. Political Economy”, in J. Downing, A. Mohammadi, & A. Srebemy-Mohammadi (eds.), Questioning the Media, Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, pp. 77-93.

- Information: Commodity or Public Resource?

Public and Commercial Mass Media Systems

Media, Culture And Society, Chapter 8

WEEK 4

- Commercial media systems

Screening: The Prime Minister and the Press (2003)

- Media and the public Sphere

Globalization, Fragmentation, Commercialization

Media, Culture And Society, Chapter 9

- Media and the construction of reality.

- The agenda setting theory.

- Introducing news values

Media, Culture And Society, Chapter 7

WEEK 5

- The spiral of the silence.

Exercise: news values analysis.

Reading: available on Moodle.

- Media as Forms of Manipulation?

Frankfurt School/ Critical theory

Media, Culture And Society, Chapter 6

WEEK 6

- Advertising and Global Economy

Screening: ‘Consuming kids’ (some extracts)

Reading: Arthur Asa Berger (2011) Advertising in the American Culture, Ads, Fads, and Consumer Culture, pp.1-10.

- Exploring consumer culture. What is critical consumerism

WEEK 7

Exercise: Packard Eight Hidden needs model

-Review

- MIDTERM

WEEK 8

Session in the Library

- Introducing cultural studies

Media, Culture And Society, Chapter 5

Reading: Hall, Stuart (1974) “The television discourse; encoding and decoding”, in (2002), McQuail's Reader in Mass Communication Theory. London: SAGE, pp. 303-308

WEEK 9

- Media in Everyday Life/ Audience research

Exercise: Media diary

- Analyzing media text

Media, Culture And Society, Chapter 4

WEEK 10

- Media communities: subcultures and fans

Media, Culture And Society, Chapter 12

Readings: Jenkins, H. (2002). “Interactive audiences? The collective intelligence of media fans”.

WEEK 11

- Exploring fandom as a cultural process

- Media, Gender and Sexual Identity

Media, Culture And Society, Chapter 11

WEEK 12

- Media, Gender and Sexual Identity/2

Screening: The codes of gender (2009).

- Media and Ethnicity

WEEK 13

- The role of stereotypes

Media, Culture And Society, Chapter 10

WEEK 14

- Introducing digital media

- The 'spectacularization' of the society

Media, Culture And Society, Chapter 13

- Review

WEEK 15

FINAL EXAM