MDIA 2306 - Approaches to Media

This course examines the different traditions within media theory. It maps the major theoretical traditions of the field including political economy and communication theories, textual theories and audience theories. It considers the impacts of digital networked communication and how they might be thought about. It also investigates the social and cultural processes implicated in the production and consumption of media forms. Issues range from the political economy of the media, the significance of ownership, the negotiations of power and the relative positions of citizens, corporations and the State. Students will consider a number of key concepts, and examine the writings of several key thinkers working in and around this field. They will also be encouraged to compare and contrast different approaches, so that they are able to recognise the different theoretical concerns and emphases in play. Discussion will range across a selection of themes and issues, from the more traditional (e.g. debates about ideology and signification) to the more contemporary (e.g. debates about privacy and surveillance).