Overview of Course

This course is designed to give students an overview of contemporary mass media – examining print, electronic, and web-based media from a historical and critical perspective. This includes an examination of terms, concepts and theories of mass communication, as well as discussion of the key figures and events that have shaped the discipline.

Media systems in countries we will visit during the voyage will be compared in terms of economic, political and press freedom differences, allowing students to investigate and understand how they, as engaged citizens, can use mass communication and technology to work toward an improved global world. Students will analyze their own media consumption, particularly new media such as social media, fake news, online gaming, etc., and compare it with that of the people in the countries we will visit. We will also cover topics related to representation such as portrayals of race, sexuality, ethnicity, gender, age, disability and body image in the media. At the end of the course, students will be empowered media literate members of society.