September 11th: An Introduction to Media Analysis

The primary goal of this class is to provide a thorough introduction to various theoretical approaches to media analysis. The course is divided into the following units: 1. Ideology and Hegemony; 2. Social Life and Cultural Studies; 3. The Political Economy of the Mass Media; 3. Representation and Identity; 4. Postmodernism; and 5. Convergence and Transmedia Storytelling. Each unit will include close readings of 147classic148 (and difficult) theoretical essays. However, in order to practice both using and critiquing these theoretical essays, we will be conducting a semester-long case study of representations of September 11th. The examples we explore will be drawn from contemporary film, cable news programs, talk radio, newspapers, contemporary music, political campaign ads, photography, video games, political blogs, political satirists, and YouTube. For their final papers, students will further explore a unit of their own choosing. A weekly film screening is MANDATORY. MCP, PRJ, PRS, REA, WRI