Medea Sociology

Viktoriya KIM (Graduate School of Human Sciences)

Course Objective
   This course examines mass media and how it influences and shapes our political, economic, social and cultural life. Today various media are an intrinsic part of our lives, so this class aims to explore their development in historical context. We will explore the theoretical perspectives that are used to analyze media, the various forms of media and how they are organized, their functions in different fields of our society, and the impact of globalization on media and vice versa. This course will enable students to understand various kinds of analysis that can be applied to media research, to strengthen their understanding of the connection between our lives and media, to improve their critical thinking and judgments regarding daily issues discussed in various media sources.

Learning Goals
   Knowledge and Understanding. After studying this course you should be able to:

• Develop an understanding of media contents and factors that influence those contexts.
• Develop an understanding of how media construct public opinion.
• Improve critical thinking and awareness of media influence on our everyday lives.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the structure and characteristics of Japanese media.
• Recognize and reflect critically upon different insider and outsider views of contemporary Japanese media.

• Develop an understanding of major theoretical perspectives that are used in media research.
• Understand the different ways of conducting media research in various fields.
• Demonstrate the ability to critically interpret, evaluate and present scholarly arguments on a specific topic.
• Recognition of major impediments to effective group work and ability to identify effective strategies for overcoming them.

Requirement / Prerequisite
   None

Special Note
   Please note that this course is taught and assessed in English and also it is an interactive course, not lecture based, therefore you will be prompted to participate in class discussions and to complete reading assignments before class starts.

Class Plan

	Theme	Content
Week 1	Introduction to the Media Sociology
Week 2	Media and the Social World
Week 3	Historical Development of the Mass Media
Week 4	Theoretical Perspectives
Week 5	The Economics of the Media Industry
Week 6	Academic Writing for Media Sociology
Week 7	Review
Week 8	Political Influence on Media
Week 9	Media Organizations and Professionals
Week 10	Media and Ideology
Week 11	Social Inequality and Media Representation
Week 12	Media Influence and the Political World
Week 13	Review
Week 14	Active Audiences and the Construction of Meaning
Week 15	Course Review: Media in a Changing Global Culture

Type of Class
   Lecture Subject

Independent Study Outside of Class
   The course will be delivered utilizing a blend of lectures, student's presentations, practical activities, group discussions and case study investigations. Students are expected to read all the assigned material BEFORE each class and be ready to discuss it.

Textbooks
   Croteau, David, William Hoynes and Stefania Milan, 2012, Media/Society: Industries, Images, and Audiences (Fourth Edition), Sage.
   Balnaves Mark, Stephanie Hemelryk Donald and Brian Shoesmith, 2009, Media Theories and Approaches: A Global Perspective, Palgrave Macmillan.
   Hanson Ralph E., 2014, Mass Communication: Living in a Media World, Sage.

Reference
   You will be provided with additional readings, like articles, book chapters and etc. throughout the course.

Grading Policy
   Attendance/Class Participation: 10%
   Students are expected to attend each class session and engage in active discussion.
   Think Piece: 50% (10×5%)
   This is before class activity. In this assignment you will be asked a question related to your weekly readings. The purpose of this activity is to help you organize your thoughts towards the reading, to relate the reading to previous ones and to get clearer ideas on the whole course. For these reasons, think pieces will be graded only on pass/fail basis to ensure that you do the writing with a decent investment, with a failing grade going only for perfunctory effort. I will respond with a very short, reflective comment on some interesting points.
   Analysis of the Media Sources: 40%
   You will be asked to analyze various media sources on particular subject (news) by answering some leading questions that will be distributed beforehand.