Undergraduate Courses: Communication Studies 371/Media, Culture & Society. This course explores the ascent of commercial media culture in the United States from the late nineteenth century to the present. It uses an historical approach to trace the rise of modern communication forms and technologies and their kinship with social, cultural, and political developments. We will reflect on historical changes over time in media forms, institutions, and communication processes. We will also examine struggles over social and cultural identity (e.g., class, ethnicity, gender, race, and sexuality) in which media representation continues to play a significant role. The goals of the course are to further your understanding of the interdependent domains of media, culture, and society using history as a guide; to analyze and critique links between social, cultural, and political power and media representations; and to develop greater appreciation of the complex relationship between media and everyday life.

Graduate Courses: