I'm actually NOT SURE. The course description is possibly one of the most useless things I've ever read.
"References to the power and prevalence of “the media” are commonplace. But what are “the media?” How do they work and for whom? As media increasingly pervade the fabric of daily life, and as fewer and fewer entities dominate media ownership, the urgency of asking and answering these questions only grows in importance.
Yet, these questions are incredibly difficult to ask—much less to answer—owing in part to the ways in which the structure and functioning of the media remain, for many of us, taken for granted, perhaps even something of a mystery. This course will introduce you to the basic vocabularies of visual and media literacy and hone your skills at analyzing media texts, institutions, apparatuses, and audiences critically. We will focus on four prevalent media genres— film, radio, television, and the internet—and our goal will be to explore the relationships between and among form, content, ownership, and meaning with respect to each. C190 will help you to appreciate more fully the complex ways in which the media inhabit and affect social, cultural, political, and economic life. More importantly, it will provide you with the analytical, interpretive, and critical skills by which to navigate and begin to make sense of the densely mediated landscapes we inhabit.
Assessment will be based on attendance and participation, screening notes, two exams, and two writing assignments."
I have heard, however, that the prof. is the bee's knees. So.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-16 05:59 pm (UTC)"References to the power and prevalence of “the media” are
commonplace. But what are “the media?” How do they work and for
whom? As media increasingly pervade the fabric of daily life, and
as fewer and fewer entities dominate media ownership, the urgency of
asking and answering these questions only grows in importance.
Yet, these questions are incredibly difficult to ask—much less to
answer—owing in part to the ways in which the structure and
functioning of the media remain, for many of us, taken for granted,
perhaps even something of a mystery. This course will introduce you
to the basic vocabularies of visual and media literacy and hone your
skills at analyzing media texts, institutions, apparatuses, and
audiences critically. We will focus on four prevalent media genres—
film, radio, television, and the internet—and our goal will be to
explore the relationships between and among form, content,
ownership, and meaning with respect to each. C190 will help you to
appreciate more fully the complex ways in which the media inhabit
and affect social, cultural, political, and economic life. More
importantly, it will provide you with the analytical, interpretive,
and critical skills by which to navigate and begin to make sense of
the densely mediated landscapes we inhabit.
Assessment will be based on attendance and participation, screening
notes, two exams, and two writing assignments."
I have heard, however, that the prof. is the bee's knees. So.