Critical Social Thought 104 - Introduction to Media Studies

This course introduces students to the critical study of media, focusing on electronic media, digital technologies, and network cultures. We will analyze the aesthetics, politics, protocols, history, and theory of media, paying attention to the ways they create and erase borders; affect how we form and articulate identities; invade privacy while providing a platform for exploration; foster hate speech and progressive movements alike; and participate in capitalist economies and the acceleration of climate change. While tracing the global flows of media creation, distribution, and consumption, we will also consider the different issues that arise in diverse national and local contexts.