Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2024 - CMNS 221 D100

Media and Popular Cultures (3)

Class Number: 1067

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 8 – Jan 16, 2024: Tue, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
    Vancouver

    Jan 23 – Jan 30, 2024: Tue, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
    Vancouver

    Feb 6 – Apr 12, 2024: Tue, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
    Vancouver

  • Exam Times + Location:

    Apr 15, 2024
    Mon, 4:30–4:30 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    Nine CMNS units with a minimum grade of C-.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Focuses on communication for social change; historical and contemporary perspectives in consumer culture; technology, media and popular culture; media and identity; and communication as public education.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course is an introduction to the study of popular culture and communication, with a focus on the social and cultural dimensions of media, technology and media environments. The course examines critical issues, controversies, currents, and debates in media and popular culture, and engages with both theoretical and applied approaches to the understanding and analysis of media and communication. The course considers a wide range of themes in the study of popular cultural production, dissemination, and practices, including: the rise and ongoing elaboration of consumer culture; histories and currencies of media and popular culture; technology, emergent platforms, and digital culture; education and communication; identities and popular cultures; public spaces, community, and urban life; communication theory and design for social change; communication and public engagement; applied communication in the areas of advocacy, social marketing, public relations, and social issues communication; and other issues and themes. In broad terms, the course is centrally concerned with projects of social change through the understanding and analysis of media and popular cultures, and through the application of communication solutions to current and pressing issues.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

Course Educational Objectives:

  1. The acquisition of foundational knowledge and understanding of media, media technologies, and media environments, popular culture, and applied communication.
  2. Research skills for the critical analysis of media.
  3. Connect the academic study of media and popular cultures to professional fields of communication; that is, media education toward professional practices in communication.
  4. Understanding and developing media as intervention for social change.
  5. Understanding current and emergent debates in the public sphere around media, technology, and communication.

Grading

  • In-Class Mid-Term Exam 20%
  • Op-Ed Commentary 15%
  • Tutorial Contributions 15%
  • Term Paper 30%
  • Take-Home 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). For further information see: www.sfu.ca/policies/Students/index.html.

Materials

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