Special attention is given to the ways in which the mass media can create, sustain, or alter ethnic culture and subcultures. Seminar in Media and Culture. Studies 351 or 371 strongly recommended. May be repeated for a total of 6 credits. Investigates advanced topics dealing with the relationship between mass media and their social and cultural contexts.
Topics vary by section.
Media and Violence. Studies 351 or 371 strongly recommended. This course examines the theoretical and empirical connections between violence in society and portrayals of violence in the mass media. The course explores the reasons for the prevalence of violent themes in television, film, and other popular media, and investigates the psychological and social mechanisms through which media portrayals might influence attitudes and behavior. Because one cannot fully understand the relation between violence and violence in society without first understanding the causes of aggressive and violent behavior, we will begin by examining the nature of aggressive and violent behavior and how it develops.