Race, Class and Gender in the Media

Catalog description

How does mass media help shape our economic, cultural, political, and personal worlds? This course examines the mass media as economic and cultural institutions that shape our social identities. Through analysis of popular mass media genres, including print, television, film, advertising, the internet, and social media, students will analyze social perceptions and their own experiences as it pertains to race, class, and gender. This course examines the mass media as economic and cultural institutions that shape our social identities. Through analysis of popular mass media genres, including print, television, film, advertising, the internet, and social media, students will analyze social perceptions and their own experiences as it pertains to race, class, and gender. We will examine the media’s role with respect to hierarchies of race, class, gender, and sexuality through the prism of mass media. We will explore the employment and representation of women and “minorities” in the media, as well as how accurately the media reflects our society demographically. We will analyze the media is not only a form of entertainment but also a medium for informing us about the world we live in. We will examine how racism, sexism, classism and homophobia exists in our society and the role media plays in reinforcing perceptions and stereotypes. These issues need scrutiny from the communications industries, the professionals working in the field, as well as media audiences in their relevance for national and global diversity utilizing readings, writings, film, and discussion.