Media and Society

An exploration of theories from the areas of communication and psychology to approach key issues in media and society, including mediated violence, sexual representations, values, and more.
This course examines the role of the media (books, newspapers, magazines, film, radio, sound recordings, television, and ?new media?) in the acquisition of knowledge about the world, and how in turn this knowledge influences human attitudes and behaviours. The course assumes that mass media and the industries that produce media products play significant cultural and political roles in contemporary society, and therefore seeks to acquaint the student with basic issues, media research frameworks, and media effects theories within the broader societal context. The relationship between the media and the public, the increasing influence of new media technologies, and dilemmas facing media policy makers are closely scrutinized.