Communication and Media

To develop an understanding of the relationships between media, politics and society and the ways in which we use media and media use us.

To develop an understanding of some of the key concepts and theories which seek to explain the communication and mediatisation of public and political life.

​To develop an understanding of the ways in which media operations and news discourse affect the representation of issues such as race, gender, war and the environment

​To explore the ways in which the public are becoming both conusmers and producers of media texts as well as their subjects, and the implications of new technologies and social media on everyday politics and social life.

​An understanding of the central role of the media in circulating and mediating democratic information

An understanding of key theories and debates concerning journalistic practices, including what makes news and issues of objectivity, bias and framing

​An understanding of the importance of media represntations in generating public perceptions of and responses to significant issues in society

​An understanding of the ways in which new media technologies are transforming realtionships between the public, medai and those whom the media depict

This module will introduce you to the analysis of communication and in identifying and understanding the forms that communication takes i.e., the discussion of meaning and how it is created through words, images, images and sounds. As well as analysing these various forms of communication,

We will also examine the ways in which we consume and enjoy the products of the communication and media industries (radio programmes, films, TV series and games). This is one of two foundational modules for students seeking to study Communications in years 2 and 3. Either of these foundational modules will be regarded as offering adequate preparation for Level 2 study, though students who are taking Communications as a Joint or a Major subject will do both.

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​ Understand at a foundational level how linguistic and non-linguistic modes of communication interact with one another.

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​ Be able to identify media texts as a product of particular economic, institutional, cultural and technological environments.

​ To develop students'' abilities to think critically about these social issues

​ To connect conceptual issues regarding new media and technology to empirical exploration

critical awareness of the impact of new media and technology on society and social life

​ ability to analyse key conceptual issues around personal identity, community, digital dualism and time as they relate to social life and the development of new media

​ an ability to analyse socio-political issues through study of mobile media, presentation of global events, surveillance through social networking, digital labour and online activism

​ understanding of how conceptual issues around new media and the social relate to empirical matters (such as site design, monetization and third party involvement)

Aims:

This module explores the ways in which popular films mediate ideas about cultural identities, national identity, history and society focusing on American cinema from the 1950 to the present.

​to examine the combination of industrial organisation and technical innovations that gives shape and substance to popular films.

​Through a focus on films as entertainment commodities, you will become familiar with the formal and aesthetic properties of commercially produced films, particularly the ways in which acting, visual style and use of music communicate particular ideas about the ''American dream'' and its influence on audiences worldwide.

​to develop your critical and analytical skills through the close reading of particular scenes and sequences in seminars.

An understanding of the role played by popular films in mediating social and cultural identities, in particular those of nationality, gender, ‘race’ and ethnicity

​An understanding of the ways in which changing audiences and industrial structures create particular styles of filmmaking.

​Familiarity and confidence in using terms and key concepts used in film criticism and analysis

To examine the ways in which media texts circulate within a global culture of commerce

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demonstrate a critical awareness of the reasons behind the emergence of global entertainment conglomerates and their role in shaping global media industries (subject specific outcome, follows from Comm 106) ​

demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which media conglomerates changed formerly clearly defined individual industries (film industry, television industry, music industry, etc.) (subject specific outcome, follows from Comm 106) ​

demonstrate a critical awareness of the ways in which economic and industrial factors shape media texts (subject specific outcome, follows from Comm 106) ​

demonstrate an ability to analyse media texts and identify their commercial imperatives (subject specific outcome, follows from Comm 106) ​

demonstrate the ability to write under pressure (study skills objective, follows from exam preparation sessions in Comm 106 ​

1. To introduce students to key concepts and debates relating to gender and the media

2. To encourage students to recognise gendered discourses in news- and other media ​

3. To provide students with the opportunity to reflect on the relationship between gender and media and ways of disrupting normative gender constructions

Students should be able to recognise the ways that women and men are treated differently in mainstream media and to reflect on their own consumption of texts and discourses.

​ Students should know and be able to discuss theories of the relationship between gender and media

Students should know and be able to discuss research on various aspects of the relationship between gender and media ​

Students should develop the confidence to discuss means of challenging normative gender constructions, including appreciating the limitations ​of such means

To examine key debates relating to the interaction between news media and foreign policy in times of war

​To subject the underlying rationale for media relationship to foreign policy-making to scrutiny​

​To assess and examine specific cases of media-foreign policy interaction

Students will possess a basic knowledge of key International Relations schools of thought

Students will be familiar with the characteristic features of international crises after the end of the Cold War

​Students will possess a good understanding and be able to analyse critically the main claims of the ‘CNN Effect’ and the ‘Manufacturing Consent’ theories and their critiques

Students will be familiar with the recent research into the media-foreign policy relationship

​Students will be able to identify and analyse the differing ways in which media coverage frames war and humanitarian crisis and the theoretical perspectives that underpin such frames

​Students will be able to show knowledge of the role of media in traditional wars and in humanitarian crises

​Students will possess an understanding of the media-state relations post-9/11

​Students will possess an understanding of future trends in world politics caused by new information technologies