Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Summer 2020 - CMNS 240 D100

The Political Economy of Communication (3)

Class Number: 3724

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    May 11 – Aug 10, 2020: Thu, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Exam Times + Location:

    Aug 13, 2020
    Thu, 8:30–11:30 a.m.
    Location: TBA

  • Prerequisites:

    CMNS 110 and 130.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Examination of the political and economic processes that have generated the policies and structures of mass media, telecommunications and related industries; the relationship between the dichotomies of state and market, citizen and consumer, capitalism and democracy, global and local, and sovereignty and globalization in media industries and policies; overview of influences on State and international policies towards the media.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course introduces students to political economy as a framework for studying media and communication. Readings during the first half of the course explore the nature of capitalist society and dominant conceptual positions within the political economy of communication. Students will learn about the specificity of capitalism as an economic mode of production, distribution, and consumption; the position of individuals and social classes relative to media and communication systems; and the relationship of media and communication to liberal democracy. Readings in the second half draw from and expand upon the theoretical frames introduced in the first. The course concludes by questioning the political economy of emerging media.

Grading

  • Attendance and Participation 20%
  • Mid-term (in class) 20%
  • Paper Proposal 10%
  • Research Paper 30%
  • Final Exam 20%

NOTES:

The School expects that the grades awarded in this course will bear some reasonable relation to established university-wide practices with respect to both levels and distribution of grades.  In addition, the School will follow Policy S10.01 with respect to Academic Integrity, and Policies S10.02, S10.03 and S10.04 as regards Student Discipline (note: as of May 1, 2009 the previous T10 series of policies covering Intellectual Honesty (T10.02), and Academic Discipline (T10.03) have been replaced with the new S10 series of policies).

Late Assignments
Students who do not hand in assignments on time will receive a penalty for every day the assignment is late, to a maximum of seven days. Assignments more than one week late will not be accepted and will therefore receive no grade, unless the student has made arrangements with the instructor beforehand or an emergency occurs.

Office Hour and Email
Have a question for the instructor? If possible, attend my office hours. Please avoid all inessential email communication. If email communication is necessary, please allow plenty of time (72 hours) for reply, and do not expect communication over the weekend. When writing your instructor or TA, please include “CMNS 240” in the title field, otherwise you should not anticipate a response.

REQUIREMENTS:

Attendance and Participation 20%
Attendance and participation are compulsory. I expect students to arrive having closely read the assigned material and participate in discussions.

Midterm 20%
The midterm will be an in-class exam held in week 8. It will draw from course readings and my lectures. Completion of the weekly readings and attendance during both lecture and tutorial will therefore be essential if students wish to do well in the course.

Term Paper 30% and Proposal 10%
Students will individually research and write an essay relevant to the political economy of communication. Essays should be between 8 and 12 pages in length (excluding references), double- spaced, written in Times New Roman font, size 12, with one-inch (2.54 cm) margins. The final essay is due week 13. The proposal will be 400 - 500 words, due in tutorial on week 7.

Final Exam 20%
The final will be based on material from the second half of the course.

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Readings will be made available through the course Canvas.


Required readings include selections from:


Anderson, Benedict. Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism. New York: Verso. 2006.


Harvey, David. The Condition of Postmodernity. Cambridge: Blackwell, 1990.


Meehan, Eileen and Ellen Riordan, eds. Sex & Money: Feminism and Political Economy in the Media. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2002.


Mosco, Vincent. The Political Economy of Communication. London: Sage, 2009.


Winseck, Dwayne and Dal Yong Jin, eds. Political Economies ofMedia: The Transformation ofthe Global Media Industries. London: Bloomsbury Academic: 2011


Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

TEACHING AT SFU IN SUMMER 2020

Please note that all teaching at SFU in summer term 2020 will be conducted through remote methods. Enrollment in this course acknowledges that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes.

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need class or exam accommodations, including in the current context of remote learning, are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112) as soon as possible to ensure that they are eligible and that approved accommodations and services are implemented in a timely fashion.