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COURSE NUMBER: SOCI 345
COURSE TITLE: Media and Society
NAME OF INSTRUCTOR: Dr. David Long
CREDIT WEIGHT AND WEEKLY TIME DISTRIBUTION: credits 3(hrs lect 3 - hrs sem 0 - hrs lab 0)
COURSE DESCRIPTION: A critical examination of mass media as a cultural and institutional phenomenon. Examining film, television, print and electronic media, and popular music in the context of culture, major social institutions and everyday life.

Prerequisites: Three credits in sociology at the introductory level
REQUIRED TEXTS:
  • Pavlik, John V., Shawn McIntosh (2017). Converging Media: A New Introduction to Mass Communication. 5th ed. Toronto: Oxford University Press.
  • Turkle, Sherry (2015). Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age. New York: Penguin Books. 
MARK DISTRIBUTION IN PERCENT:
1st Assignment15%
Major Assignment30%
Mid-term Examination25%
Final Examination30%
100%
COURSE OUTLINE:
  • Sept. 6 – What’s Inside Your Phone (and every other technological creation)?
    • P&M Chap.1 (pp. 3-12) – Technology and human values, convergences
  • Sept. 13 – Recurring Themes and Contrasting Perspectives on Media
    • P&M Chaps. 1 & 2 – Thematic areas, semiotics, media literacy, McLuhan vs Williams
    • Turkle – The Case for Conversation
  • Sept. 20-21 – No classes - IS Conference
    •  Religion: a technological expression of our search for shared meaning
    •  Turkle – One Chair
  • Sept. 27 – MediaLab – Assignment 1
    • P&M Chap. 3 - Print Media and Beyond, Manufacturing Consent
  • Oct. 4 – Listening to Others and Ourselves
    •  P&M Chap. 4 – Audio Media, Our Inner and Interpersonal Journeys
    •  Turkle - Two Chairs
  • Oct. 11 – Watching the World Go Inward
    •  P&M Chap. 5 – Visual Media, Our Societal Journeys
    •  Turkle - Three Chairs
  • Oct. 18 – Living and Playing in Virtual Isolation
    • P&M Chaps. 6&7 – Interactive media and the lie of participatory culture
  • Oct. 25 – MID-TERM EXAMINATION 
  • Nov. 1 – Fake News and Truth in Advertising
    • P&M Chaps. 8&9 – Truth telling, storytelling, and the art of persuasion
  • Nov. 8 – The Trickiness of Ethics
    • P&M Chap. 10 – Keeping “them” honest
  • Nov. 15 – Who is Governing the Internet?
    • P&M Chap. 11 – Internet laws as the compromise of virtual interests
  • Nov. 22 – Looking to Make Sense of It All
    • P&M Chap 12 – Media theory and research
  • Nov. 29 – Mediating Politics (major assignment due)
    • P&M Chap. 13 – Cultivating mass mediated leaders and followers
  • Dec. 6 – Virtually Global
    • P&M Chap. 14 – Globalization, neighborly divides
    • Turkle – A Fourth Chair?, The Path Forward
  • Coarse/Exam review


Required texts, assignments, and grade distributions may vary from one offering of this course to the next. Please consult the course instructor for up to date details.

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