Media and Democracy

Catalog description

Communication technologies are changing the way we think and see democracy and popular agency. This course will cover some of the main themes and concerns driven by today’s changing media structure and landscape, including the proliferation of late-night shows as options for news information, the blending of fake and real news, the ability of citizens to become content producers (prosumers), and the role that social media play in exposure to information. This course will be specifically focused on the role of audience within the media landscape. We will seek possible answers to questions such as: How do people select and process different types of media content? What are the norms of political discussion that develop in these spheres? What are the opportunities for social movements and mobilizations to arise? How does the interaction between the media and the public affect democratic functioning?