Fall 2024 - CMNS 311 E100
Topics in Communication and Social Justice (4)
Class Number: 1180
Delivery Method: In Person
Overview
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Course Times + Location:
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Wed, 5:30–8:20 p.m.
Burnaby
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Instructor:
Svitlana Matviyenko
smatviye@sfu.ca
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Prerequisites:
17 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 45 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
Topics pertain to issues of inequality, resistance and activism with a focus on entanglements with media and communication. Explores how relations of power are shaped and contested through media and communication. Topics include: racial justice, environmental policies, globalization, social activism, and labour. This course can be repeated once for credit (up to a maximum of two times).
COURSE DETAILS:
Topic for Fall 2024: Environment, Media and Communication
CMNS 311 E100 explores the role different forms of media and culture play in raising (or suppressing) public awareness about key environmental issues such as: climate change; (un)sustainable resource use; and the pollution of social and natureal spaces. How do different social, economic and political actors (e.g., corporations, governments, environmental groups) talk about the environment in different ways, depending upon their economic, political and/or cultural objectives? Is 'green consumerism' an oxymoron? What opinions do the public hold about environmental issues, and how are they influenced and represented? What communicative practices and principles are necessary in order to encourage and facilitate public debate, dialogue and deliberation on environmental politics and policies? What role does communication play in environmental advocacy and activism? In this course, we will explore these questions by investigating some of the many ways in which we use different media to represent, and communicate about, the natural environment.
Grading
- Tutorial Participation (10 weeks x 3%) 30%
- Paper Proposal 15%
- Theme Summaries (2 x 10%) 20%
- Final Paper 35%
NOTES:
The School expects that the grades awarded in this course will bear some reasonable relation to established university-wide practices. 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 1 May 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.) For further information see:
www.sfu.ca/policies/Students/index.html
Materials
REQUIRED READING:
Required readings will be available as PDF's on Canvas. Any material that is not on Library Reserve can be found online in an academic journal through the Library's website.
REQUIRED READING NOTES:
Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.
Registrar Notes:
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS
SFU’s Academic Integrity website 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
RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION
Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.