Course Description

This course is intended to provide an introduction to the major social, political, and cultural debates affecting communication and the new media landscapes. Topics include an overview of core concepts in the disciplines of Communication, Cultural and Media Studies, focusing on the connections between elements of the circuit of media. Structure, agency, power, technology, industry, content, and users interact in a global digital context. Understanding these elements is crucial for tackling enduring questions about the media in the digital age, and their overall impact on democracy, ethics, and culture.  

Course Goals and Methodology

The main goal of this course is to investigate the complex relationship between media, communication, and culture in a network society. From a social and cultural approach to communication and through the critical study of recent issues and cases, students will gain a clearer understanding of the debates and trends in communication and media in the digital age.  

Learning Objectives
Through this course, students will:

● Examine the central role of culture in media and communication studies.  

● Trace and discuss the evolution and theories of mass communication and media.  

● Reflect upon the crucial role of news and media in democratic societies.  

● Demonstrate an understanding of the complex process of transformation of media in the digital context, and its impact on politics, democracy, and culture.  

● Review free expression debates in the digital age, focusing on copyright issues, privacy, and security issues.  

● Address ethical issues in media representation in a more and more visually oriented culture, focusing on gender, class, and race.  

● Gain analytical, critical, and new media skills.  

Course Requirements and Grading
Your final grade will be calculated as follows:

● Participation (20%)  

● Midterm exam (20%)  

● Final exam (25%)  

● Project (15%)  

● Critical response essays (3) (20%)  

Course Contents

1. Media, Communication, and Society  

2. The Evolution of Media Technology

3. The Media Industry  

4. The Content of the Media

5. From Media Effects to Active Audiences 

Required Texts  

There is no textbook required for this course. Therefore, students are not expected to purchase any material. The instructor will post the class material (Google Slides, case studies handouts, inclass worksheets, announcements, links, and any additional reading) on Blackboard, which is accessible both on campus and off campus. To log in, you need to sign in on https://campusvirtual.upo.es using the username and password you received in your orientation folder.  

*Course content subject to change