Global Media, Culture, and Society

Catalog description

The role of media in a globally connected society. COMM 410 Global Media, Culture, and Society (3) (IL)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. This course examines the role of international mass media in communications and debates about global questions and/or crises between and among nations and peoples. These roles will be examined using such theories as imperialism, hegemony, information society, modernization, globalization, capitalism, cultural industries, propaganda, and others. Among other issues the course will examine the way in which media report, portray, represent, misrepresent, and construct knowledge about global questions and crises that may border on social injustices, health, the politics of armament, disarmament, and recognition of statuses of states. The course may also explore other issues of international importance not limited to those involving economic questions such as balance of trade, global debt, and financial crises.In addition, this course provides avenue for the appraisal of mediated debates between nations at such platforms as the United Nations (UN), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Trade Organization (WTO) among other international and bilateral organizations that serve as platforms for consideration of issues of global importance.Students are led to understand ways in which states relate and communicate with each other in the environment of supranational governance. Students are exposed to these issues through readings in pertinent theories, ICT-enhanced conversations, and critical examinations of applicable concepts, exposure to contemporary issues via media messages; including those presented via newspapers, news magazines, broadcast documentaries, films, and other media products that will aid students' ability to better appreciate issues of historical and contemporary relevance to the global community.