Module Code - Title:
SO4033
-
SOCIOLOGY OF MEDIA
Year Last Offered:
2025/6
Hours Per Week:
Grading Type:
N
Prerequisite Modules:
Rationale and Purpose of the Module:
This course aims to provide students with a critical understanding of the mass media from a sociological viewpoint. It will introduce students to key aspects of the debate amongst social scientists about the workings and influence of the media. The course is structured upon an examination of these key areas as well as presenting examples of the various methodological approaches used by sociologists in their analysis of the mass media.
Syllabus:
* Sociology and the analysis of mass media.
* The production/content/reception model of media analysis.
* Applying sociological theories and methods in critically understanding the mass media.
* Media globalization.
* Globalization, æG-localizationÆ and Media Audiences.
* Media Ownership, concentration and conglomeration.
* The political economy perspective. The public sphere.
* Media production and media professionals.
* Structure and agency in a media setting.
* HallÆs encoding/decoding model.
* Ideology, dominant ideology and discourse.
* Analysing media content: media re-presentations in a divided world.
* Media representations of class, ethnicity, gender and sexuality.
* Media audiences. Qualitative approaches towards understanding media audiences.
* Audiences as fans.
* Diasporic audiences.
Learning Outcomes:
Cognitive (Knowledge, Understanding, Application, Analysis, Evaluation, Synthesis)
-A clear understanding of recent sociological debates about the role and significance of the mass media.
-A familiarity with the key concepts used by sociologists in their attempts to understand the complexities of the mass media
-A detailed knowledge of the production, content and reception model of media analysis
-An insight into the main theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches that sociologists use when they engage in research about the mass media
-Gain a more critical understanding of the role of the mass media in your own everyday life through undertaking the Media Diary Project
- Acquire bibliographic and project writing skills.
Affective (Attitudes and Values)
N/A
Psychomotor (Physical Skills)
N/A
How the Module will be Taught and what will be the Learning Experiences of the Students:
This module will be taught through a combination of lecturers, tutorials and self directed learning.
Research Findings Incorporated in to the Syllabus (If Relevant):
Prime Texts:
Eoin Devereux (2007)
Understanding The Media 2nd edition London
, Sage
Eoin Devereux (2007)
Media Studies:Key Issues and Debates London:
, Sage
Other Relevant Texts:
Programme(s) in which this Module is Offered:
Semester(s) Module is Offered:
Module Leader:
eoin.devereux@ul.ie