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COMM111 Media and Society
Department of Arts and Communication: Communication Studies
- I. Course Number and Title
- COMM111 Media and Society
- II. Number of Credits
- 3 credits
- III. Number of Instructional Minutes
- 2250
- IV. Prerequisites
- None
- Corequisites
- None
- V. Other Pertinent Information
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This course meets the General Education requirement for Diversity.
This course meets the General Education requirement for Social Sciences.
This course meets the General Education requirement for Critical Thinking. - VI. Catalog Course Description
- Students examine the relationships between technology, industries, content, and users active in modern media. All students, particularly those who specialize in communication, multimedia, and journalism, build skills in media analysis, research, and writing through this college-level course.
- VII. Required Course Content and Direction
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Course Learning Goals
Students will:
- describe the role that media play in developing world views on culture, race, and gender [Diversity];
- analyze media's role as an effective force for change by examining ownership and regulation of media systems as well as impact on societal habits and attitudes [Social Sciences];
- analyze the relationship between users, technology, industries, and content within the social world;
- describe the effects of mass media on the student as an individual, as part of a group, and as a member of society;
- describe the functions, objectives, and responsibilities of the media; and
- construct a clear, accurate, and relevant position in an analysis of specific media that synthesizes evidence and information [Critical Thinking].
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Planned Sequence of Topics and/or Learning Activities
- Media and Society in a Digital World
- A Sociology of Media-The Social World Model
- Apply the social world media model to the Civil Rights era media coverage and to Black Lives Matter Protest coverage
- Structure and agency-the intersection of identity, meaning making, and technology
- The Evolution of Media Technology
- Social constructivism and the construction of race, gender, class, etc.
- The Economics of the Media Industry-Ownership, Products, Platforms, Pipes
- The power of platforms (i.e. Facebook) in shaping identity and perception of self and other
- Advertising: Case studies of the British Press and U.S. Press
- Political Influence on Media-Media, Democracy, and Regulation
- Low-power FM radio: Broadcasting in diverse local communities
- Media Organizations and Professionals
- Media and Ideology
- The Culture War and battles over ideology
- Women's magazines as advertisements
- Rap music as ideological critique
- Dominant ideology versus cultural contradictions
- Social Inequality and Media Representation
- Racial and ethnic diversity in media content
- Growing diversity amid audience fragmentation
- Race, ethnicity and media roles
- Controlling media images of race
- Gender and media content
- Social class and media content
- Sexual orientation in media content
- Audiences and Creators-The Active Audience
- Decoding meanings and social position
- Class and nationwide news
- Gender, class and television
- Race, news, and meaning making
- Resistance and feminist identity
- International readings of American television
- Social position online: Black Twitter
- Interpretive resistance and feminist politics
- Media Influence
- Entertainment and children
- Mass society and media influence
- The politics of image
- Contemporary social movements
- Hate speech and censorship
- Managing our social selves via media
- Globalization and the Future of Media
- Crossing global boundaries
- Cultural imperialism
- Preserving diversity
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Assessment Methods for Course Learning Goals
Students in Media and Society meet the General Education Learning Goals of Diversity, Social Sciences, and Critical Thinking through many of the class exercises, papers, tests, and through a final paper in which the student(s) produces a critical analysis of a specific form of media they choose.
The artifacts produced for assessment include written papers and presentation of the final project (for Diversity, Social Sciences, and Critical Thinking).
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Reference, Resource, or Learning Materials to be used by Student:
See course syllabus Each instructor uses a departmentally-approved textbook. Students use traditional library materials and academic online resources. Students may be required to:- Engage in supplemental reading;
- Access and utilize the college online learning platform;
- Access and utilize the publisher supplemental website;
- Present their findings at the Student Research Conference.
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Review/Approval Date - 3/07; Core Goals/Objectives added 11/06; Revised 02/2011; New Core 8/2015;Revised: 3/25/2021