Please note that this syllabus should be regarded as only a general guide to the course. The instructor may have changed
specific course content and requirements subsequent to posting this syllabus. Last Modified: 13:53:10 01/12/2013
SC 084 Mass Media in American Society Spring 2013 MWF 2pm, Gasson 205 Instructor: Johanna Pabst E-­‐mail: pabstjo@bc.edu Office: McGuinn 410C pabstjo.soc@gmail.com Office Hours: MW 3-­‐4pm and by appt Course Objectives The power of the media has been long debated, and continues to be important in the context of many changes in American society. This course is dedicated to investigating mass media in America, its nature and role in our lives, and its relation to American notions around race, class and gender. This course will heavily stress the ability to engage critically with the products of mass media from news broadcasts to advertising, from television to the Internet. An Important Note Throughout this course, you will be exposed to ideas which may challenge or question your own beliefs and understandings of your own experiences. While it is understood that at times you may feel discomfort, it is expected that you will complete the required reading material and that you will voice your thoughts, opinions, and reactions to this material in a thoughtful, mature, and respectful manner. As this is a core course, we will be looking at the sociology of mass media with an eye towards the following concerns: 1) The Perennial Questions: An examination of mass media can help us think about larger questions in society, such as: How do we know when something is “true”? How open to manipulation are human beings? Is a free society possible? 2) Cultural Diversity: A number of readings will address the issue of cultural diversity in 21st century society, in order to appreciate the great variety of ethnic, racial, cultural perspectives and influences, as well as the ways the media can both limit and enhance such diversity. Please note: This course does not satisfy the official university cultural diversity requirement. 3) Historical Perspective: We’ll look at the mass media in a historical context, especially with regard to the development of cultural theory and the evolution of media as connected to technology. 4) Methodology: We’ll pay attention to the various ways the media can be studied, including organizational, interview and content analysis. You’ll learn how to study media from a sociological perspective. 5) Writing Component: There is a strong writing requirement in this course. You’ll be expected to react to the works we read and be able to perform your own critical analyses of media, as well as integrate the cultural perspectives considered in class. 6) Creating a Personal Philosophy: You’re encouraged to develop your own philosophy about the importance and relevance of mass media, both in your life and in an academic sense. Mass media undoubtedly had a presence in your life before this class. Hopefully, you will view it with a new lens by the end of the course. Course Requirements Please silence your cell phones before class! 1) Class Attendance and Participation: a. Everyone is expected to attend class and participate in discussions and exercises. b. I take daily attendance. More than 3 unexcused absences will affect your grade. Excused absences, including approved athletic events, medical appointments, and absences cleared by the dean will not lower your grade as long as they are properly documented (i.e. a note from health services, dean, etc.) c. No matter the reason for an absence, you are expected to catch up on all missed material on your own, i.e. checking Blackboard for materials and getting notes/handouts from a classmate, accessing a missed film, etc. Do NOT email me and ask me if you missed “anything important.” The answer is always yes. d. I also expect you to arrive to class on time. Repeatedly late arrivals to class are disrespectful to everyone and will also affect your grade. 2) Assigned Reading: a. You must come to class having read all assigned material in ADVANCE of the date it is listed and be prepared to discuss it. The instructor reserves the right to call on any student to contribute to discussion of the reading. b. This class provides an opportunity to develop critical thinking skills. In order to be able to think critically about what we have read, we must understand what we have read and be able to accurately explain the text’s main points and its logic. Some of the material is demanding and requires patience and often repeated readings. Prepare yourself by taking notes as you read (as well as in class). Look up words you don’t know. I expect you to come to class having read and thought about the assigned reading so that you are prepared to participate in discussion-­‐ any lectures in class will not take the place of, nor give a comprehensive summary of, the text assigned. c. There will be 12 random closed-­‐book pop quizzes on the reading throughout the semester. You cannot make up pop quizzes if you miss them. If you come into class late, you will not have extra time to finish the quiz. d. You will each be assigned a reading to review during the semester, which you will present to the class, along with 2 discussion questions. Your review and questions will be posted on the course Blackboard Vista site 24 hours BEFORE class. Further details for this assignment are at the end of the syllabus. You will lose 5 points for every hour you assignment is late. If you encounter any problems uploading the assignment to Blackboard Vista, please email it to me on time. 3) Syllabus Quiz: a. There will be a quiz on the syllabus on the 3rd day of class. The syllabus is a contract between the learner and instructor. You are expected to familiarize yourself with and will be held to all policies and deadlines listed in the syllabus. 4) Homework Assignments: a. There will be 6 homework assignments due in class. Further instructions will be provided. The first homework assignment is in the syllabus. 5) Content Analysis Paper: a. You will complete your own sociological analysis of the content of a piece of media. Further details are at the end of the syllabus. 6) Final Exam: a. There will a final exam which will cover the core material of the course, given at the time assigned by the university for this course, as listed on the course schedule below. This will NOT be rescheduled for anyone without documentation from your dean. Other Course Policies • You will be responsible for printing out and bringing to class all readings assigned for the day. You will also be responsible for keeping in your possession any material handed out in class. • Because they distract other students and have been found to lower students’ grades, laptop computers are not permitted in class unless you notify me that •
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you have a documented disability requiring their use. If you have an e-­‐copy of one of the textbooks, you must notify me at the beginning of the semester. Class ends at 2:50. Do not begin to pack up until that time. All grading inquiries will be handled during office hours or at another mutually agreeable time. Under no circumstance will grades be discussed immediately before, during, or after class. Written work must be spell-­‐checked, grammar-­‐checked, and proofread: The quality of your writing will affect your grade. Late assignments will be docked points immediately after the class they are due, and each late day after that. Technology problems are not an excuse for missing a deadline. Begin your work and print/upload it early enough to be able to address any problems. Grading Policies Letter % Points A 93+ 463+ A-­‐ 90-­‐92 448-­‐462 B+ B B-­‐ 87-­‐89 83-­‐86 80-­‐82 433-­‐447 413-­‐432 398-­‐412 C+ C C-­‐ 77-­‐79 73-­‐76 70-­‐72 383-­‐397 363-­‐382 348-­‐362 D+ D D-­‐ 67-­‐69 63-­‐66 60-­‐62 333-­‐347 313-­‐332 298-­‐312 F 59 and below 0-­‐297 Meaning Outstanding performance. You have demonstrated very thorough knowledge and understanding of all the material, truly superior critical thinking, and expressed insightful and original thoughts clearly. You have completed all required assignments and they have been among the best in the class. Good performance. You have demonstrated solid knowledge and understanding of the material and good critical thinking. You have also shown the ability to express your ideas clearly. You have completed all required assignments and they have been of good quality. Satisfactory performance. You have demonstrated basic knowledge and understanding of the major concepts taught in the class and some critical thinking. You have completed all or most of the required assignments and they have routinely been free of significant problems. Deficient performance. You have only acquired a limited understanding of the class material. You have failed to complete all the required assignments and/or they have routinely had serious problems. Failure. You have failed to learn a sufficient proportion of the basic concepts and ideas taught in the class. You have failed to complete many required assignments and they have routinely had serious problems. Grading Your grade will be based on the following elements: Points % of total 1) Class Attendance and Participation 50 10% 2) Syllabus Quiz 30 6% 3) Pop Quizzes (5 pts each) 60 12% 4) Homework Assignments (20 pts each) 120 24% 5) Reading Review and Presentation 60 12% 6) Media Assignment 80 16% 7) Final Exam 100 20% Total: 500 points Academic Honesty You are responsible for adhering to the statement of academic honesty in your Student Handbook and at http://www.bc.edu/schools/cas/polisci/integrity.html . I take plagiarism very seriously and the discovery of any violations will be reported and will lead to failure of the class. Disability Statement If you have a disability, please let me know about it at the beginning of the semester so that appropriate accommodations can be made. Keeping in Touch with Me I encourage you to drop by during my office hours if you have any questions about the readings, assignments, or concepts in general. I am also happy to make appointments outside of these hours. The best way to contact me is through my email listed at the beginning of the syllabus. I check my email frequently and will get back to you as soon as possible. A note on email form: Please remember that these are professional communications and should be treated as such. Include a subject, a greeting, sign your name, and use punctuation. Required Readings The following books are available in the BC Bookstore:  Croteau, David and William Hoynes. Media/Society. 4th ed. 2012. Sage. (abbreviated as C&H in the syllabus) o Student Study Site: http://www.sagepub.com/croteau4e/study/intro.htm  Dines and Humez, eds. Gender, Race, and Class in Media. 3rd ed. 2011. Sage. (abbreviated as GRC)  Other readings will be available on the course’s Blackboard Vista site (marked as Vista). These readings are in a folder named “Course Readings.” You should print out these readings and bring them to class. Course Schedule MASS MEDIA IN AMERICAN SOCIETY SPRING 2013 Mon Jan 14 Wed Jan 16 Fri Jan 18 Mon Jan 21 Wed Jan 23 Fri Jan 25 Mon Jan 28 Wed Jan 30 Fri Feb 1 Mon Feb 4 Introduction The Sociology of Media • C&H: Chapter 1, “Media and the Social World,” p. 3-­‐17 • Vista Web Link: “How is College Different From High School?”: http://learning.ucmerced.edu/succeeding-­‐college/how-­‐college-­‐
different-­‐high-­‐school • C&H: Ch. 1, p. 17-­‐28 • Vista: Schissler, “Core American Values” SYLLABUS QUIZ Martin Luther King, Jr. Day-­‐ NO CLASSES • GRC 1: Kellner, “Cultural Studies, Multiculturalism, and Media Culture,” p. 7-­‐18 Homework 1 due: Pick an example of American mass media (i.e. a show/movie, magazine, news article, etc.) Identify and describe the presence of one of the core American values in its content. Referencing the reading thus far, explain why it is important to study mass media such as your example from a sociological perspective. Write up a 2 page (at least 600 words) summary to hand in today. The Business of Media • C&H: Chapter 2, “The Economics of the Media Industry,” p. 31-­‐
44 • GRC 2: Winseck, “The State of Media Ownership and Media Markets,” p. 19-­‐24 • C&H: Ch. 2, “The Effects of Concentration,” p. 45-­‐54 • C&H: Ch. 2, p. 54-­‐63, 65-­‐67 (“Advertising and Contemporary News Media” to end) Regulation and the Public Interest • C&H: Ch. 3, “Political Influence on Media,” p. 71-­‐82 • Vista: Habermas, Jurgen, “The Public Sphere: An Encyclopedia Article,” p. 136-­‐142 • C&H: Ch. 3, “ Regulating Ownership and Control,” p. 82-­‐90 HW 2 due Wed Feb 6 Fri Feb 8 Mon Feb 11 Wed Feb 13 Fri Feb 15 Mon Feb 18 Wed Feb 20 Fri Feb 22 Mon Feb 25 C&H: Ch. 3, “Regulating Media Content and Distribution,” p. 91-­‐
108 Media Organizations and Professionals • C&H: Ch.4, p. 113-­‐123 • Vista: Boorstin, Daniel, “From News Gathering to News Making: A Flood of Pseudo Events," in The Image: A Guide to Pseudo Events in America, p. 36-­‐44 Making the News • C&H: Ch. 4 p. 123-­‐135 News • Vista: Klinenberg, “Convergence: News Production in a Digital Age,” The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. 2005. In-­‐class film: Page One: Inside the New York Times Film and discussion HW 3 due Media and Ideology • C&H: Ch. 5, p. 153-­‐170 • GRC 4: Lull, “Hegemony,” p. 33-­‐36 • GRC 48: Schut, “Strategic Simulations and Our Past,” p. 437-­‐ 442 • C&H: Ch. 5, p. 170-­‐177 • GRC 5: Palmer, “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, An American Fairy Tale,” p. 37-­‐43 • GRC 54: Ouellette, “’Take Responsibility for Yourself’: Judge Judy and the Neoliberal Citizen,” p. 487-­‐ 496 Ideology: Advertising and Consumer Culture • C&H: Ch. 5, “Advertising and Consumer Culture,” p. 177-­‐184 • GRC 22: Jhally, “Image-­‐Based Culture: Advertising and Popular Culture,” p.199-­‐203 • GRC 23: Schor, “The New Politics of Consumption,” p. 205-­‐211 • GRC 27: Engstrom, “Unraveling the Knot: Political Economy and Cultural Hegemony in Wedding Media,” p. 243-­‐253 In-­‐class film: The Persuaders Film and discussion HW 4 due •
Wed Feb 27 Fri Mar 1 MWF Mon Mar 4, 6, 8 Mar 11 Wed Mar 13 Fri Mar 15 Mon Mar 18 Wed Mar 20 Fri Mar 22 Mon Mar 25 Wed Mar 27 Politics and the Media • C&H: Ch. 7, “Media Influence and the Political World, p. 219-­‐230 • C&H: Ch. 7, 230-­‐234, 239-­‐244 (“The Internet and Political News”) • GRC 17: Warner, “Political Culture Jamming: The Dissident Humor of The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” p. 145-­‐153 Spring Break – NO CLASSES Active Audiences and the Construction of Meaning • C&H: Ch. 8, p. 255-­‐272 • GRC 43: Durham, “Constructing the ‘New Ethnicities’: Media, Sexuality, and Diaspora Identity in the Lives of South Asian Immigrant Girls,” p. 389-­‐397 • C&H: Ch. 8, p. 272-­‐284 • Vista: Jenkins, “Quentin Tarantino’s Star Wars” In-­‐class film: The People vs. George Lucas Film and discussion Social Inequality: Race and Ethnicity in Media • C&H: Ch. 6, p. 185 -­‐201 Inequality and Race • GRC 10: Hall, “The Whites of their Eyes: Racist Ideologies and the Media,” p. 81-­‐84 • GRC 11: McKay and Johnson, “Pornographic Eroticism and Sexual Grotesquerie in Representations of African American Sportswomen,” p. 85-­‐94 In-­‐class film: Color Adjustment • GRC 52: Smith, “Critiquing Reality-­‐Based Televisual Black Fatherhood,” p. 469-­‐480 Film and discussion Social Class in Media • C&H: Ch. 6, p. 205-­‐212 • GRC 13: Butsch, “Ralph, Fred, Archie, Homer, and the King of Queens: Why Television Keeps Recreating the Male Working-­‐
Class Buffoon,” p. 101-­‐109 In-­‐class film: Class Dismissed Fri, Mon Mar 29, Apr 1 Wed Apr 3 Fri Apr 5 Mon Apr 8 Wed Apr 10 Fri Apr 12 Mon Apr 15 Wed Apr 17 Fri Apr 19 Mon Apr 22 Wed Apr 24 EASTER BREAK -­‐ NO CLASSES Gender & Sexuality in Media • C&H: Ch. 6, p. 201-­‐205, • GRC 28: Gill, “Supersexualize Me! Advertising and the Midriff,” p. 255-­‐260 • GRC 29: Katz, “Advertising and the Construction of Violent White Masculinity,” p. 261-­‐269 **Paper Proposal due by email by 5pm** In-­‐class film: Killing Us Softly HW 5 due • C&H: Ch. 6, p. 212-­‐215 • GRC 38: Pratt, “’This is the Way We Live and Love!’: Feeding on and Still Hungering for Lesbian Representation in The L Word,” p. 341-­‐348 • GRC 58: Moore, “Resisting, Reiterating, and Dancing Through: The Swinging Closet Doors of Ellen DeGeneres’ Televised Personalities,” p. 531-­‐540 In-­‐class film: The Celluloid Closet PATRIOT’S DAY – NO CLASSES Social Effects of New Media and Technology • C&H: Ch. 9, p. 285-­‐291, p. 299-­‐308, and p. 319-­‐321 • Vista: Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death: Intro to 20th anniversary edition, Ch. 4, and 7 In-­‐class film: Digital Nation Film and discussion **Media Analysis Paper Due** Technology and Mediated Experiences and Identity • Vista: Bull, “No Dead Air! The iPod and the Culture of Mobile Listening.” Leisure Studies. 2005. • GRC 45: boyd, “Why Youth (Heart) Social Network Sites,” p. 409-­‐
41 Fri Apr 26 Mon Apr 29 Wed May 1 SAT MAY 11 Commercial Interests & Technology • C&H: Ch. 9, p. 308-­‐319 • GRC 46: Montgomery, “Born to Be Wired,” p. 419-­‐426 • Vista: Anderson, “The Long Tail,” p. 137-­‐151 Media Reform and The Future • Vista: McChesney, Robert. 2008. “The Media Reform Movement Going Forward.” The Political Economy of Media: Enduring Issues, Emerging Dilemmas, Ch. 23. • Vista: Stalder, “Between Democracy and Spectacle: The Front End and Back End of the Social Web,” p. 242-­‐256 HW 6 due LAST DAY – Final Review FINAL EXAM @ 12:30PM in our classroom READING REVIEW GUIDELINES Worth: 60 points Provide a summary of your assigned reading, outlining its key points. Make sure to explain what the ARGUMENT of the reading is. Highlight the most important concepts. Connect the reading to the general topic we are examining at that time. 30 points. What were 2 things in the article you found particularly interesting? Why? 15 points. Do you agree with the article’s argument or perspective? Why or why not? 5 points. What are 2 discussion questions (related to the reading) that you have for the class? 5 points. Grammar, spelling, and overall editing and proof-­‐reading: 5 points LENGTH AND FORMAT: The review must be at least 650 words. Please use a standard 12 point font, double-­‐spaced, as a Word document. SUBMITTING THE REVIEW: Post your article review to Blackboard’s discussion area. • You can post it early, but it MUST be posted AT LEAST 24 HOURS BEFORE the reading is “due” to be read in class (i.e., if class meets at 2pm, the assignment is due by 2pm the day BEFORE). • You will lose 5 points for every hour your assignment is late. • If you encounter any problems uploading the assignment to Blackboard, please email it to me ON TIME. CHECK after you think you have uploaded it to make sure it is there. MEDIA ANALYSIS ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES Worth: 80 points Due: Monday, Apr. 22 in class Preliminary Deadline: Friday, April 5 at 5pm This assignment requires you to use some of the key concepts investigated in the course and apply them to a specific example of media. The goal of this assignment is to critically evaluate the program in terms of structures, conventions, values and ideology, and images of gender/race/class/sexuality. You will select and analyze a number of episodes of a specific TV program. You will then write an essay in which you apply a sociological perspective to the TV program in terms of production, structure, and content. Grading will be based on thoroughness, connection to course content, and thoughtful interpretation, as well as the mechanics of the paper. Pick a Show: Pick a television show that you think you would like to investigate more deeply, and which you can easily access multiple episodes. You may use online streaming sites like Hulu or Netflix. Your show should be fairly current, either airing now or within the past few years. This can be a TV show you like or love (or hate), but you should anticipate being able to take an objective and critical stance towards it. It should be a mainstream (airing on a major network or cable channel) non-­‐local American program. Try not to pick something too obscure and unwatched. Consult the instructor if you are not sure if your program is appropriate. You will need to propose your TV show to the instructor via email by FRI APRIL 5 by 5pm. This is worth 5 points of your grade. Your proposal should include a brief rationale for your choice. Your proposal will either be approved or may require further discussion with the instructor. If you decide to change your show after this point, you must consult the instructor. Types of Television Programming 1. Children’s TV 2. Talk Shows (Ellen, The View, Live! With Michael and Kelly, etc.) 3. National News Programs (NBC, CNN, etc.) 4. News Magazine (Rock Center, Dateline, 60 Minutes, etc.) 5. Reality Programs (Real Housewives, Jersey Shore, The Bachelor, etc.) 6. Entertainment News (Access Hollywood, E! News, etc.) 7. Sports 8. Sitcoms 9. Dramas Content Analysis: You will watch 3 episodes of this show and observe/take notes that will help you critically analyze the program. While watching, try to note elements such as: -­‐ The network/time aired, how you accessed the show -­‐ The number of people or characters in terms of available information on gender, race/ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, social class, body image, nationality, etc. -­‐ The characterizations of people placed in the above categories, their relationships to others -­‐ The types of stories being told, how they are resolved; whose stories are being told? What “reality” is presented? -­‐ The place and prevalence of commercials/product placement -­‐ The core themes of the show, values that seem to be celebrated/embraced -­‐ Production elements of the show, the structure of the show and what they might communicate (music, settings/set design, clothing, other symbols/cues): What type of world is being presented and how? -­‐ The conventions used; the staff/roles necessary to produce the show The Write-­‐Up: Your write-­‐up will connect your observations of the show to course content/readings in order to show how the show can be understood from a sociological perspective. You are also required to incorporate at least one outside academic article into your paper. You will not be able to incorporate everything you observed, so you should include the details you determine to be most relevant to your analysis. Your analysis should have 2 major sections: 1. Structure/Production of the Show: (~ 800 words) This part of your paper should examine your show as an object produced within a particular media system. How are your show, its elements, and themes explained by the concepts we have examined so far about the structure of the media industry? How do your observations connect to and illuminate concepts we have read about and discussed thus far in class? (This section should exclude race, class, gender and sexuality, but can address other values/ideologies.) 30 pts 2. Race, Class, Gender & Sexuality: (~ 800 words) This section of your paper should critically examine the representations of and messages around race, class, gender, and sexuality in the content of your show. How do these representations connect to social in/equality more generally? How do they connect to concepts and course readings in this area? Note: You are not expected to address all 4 areas-­‐ pick one or two that are most relevant and interesting in terms of your specific show and your observations. 30pts Also within your analysis: -­‐ You must cite at least (3) of the course readings. Each Croteau & Hoynes chapter can count as a different reading, but you cannot ONLY use Croteau & Hoynes. -­‐ You must also find and cite (1) outside academic journal article or book in your paper. You can bring it into either of the sections above. You may find academic work has been done on your particular show, but it more likely that you have to search around the genre or type of show you are researching. For instance, if you are doing a news program, you might search for additional research around television news show production. If you are doing a reality show, you might search for research around representations of race in reality TV, and see how that can add to your analysis. Please see the instructor if you need help finding appropriate sources. We will briefly address how to locate academic sources in class. -­‐ Be prepared to discuss your work in class. 3. You should also have: a. An introduction: Briefly set up your paper-­‐ what you did and why. (approx. 100 words) 5 pts b. A conclusion: Remember that a conclusion is more than a summary of what you already said. It should truly provide a synthesis of your work and how it may fit into the more general understanding of the topic. How does doing this analysis improve your sociological understanding of mass media more generally? (approx. 100-­‐200 words) 5 pts c. A Works Cited, properly formatted using ASA, APA, or MLA format. See below for one format and examples of proper citation. 5 pts 4. You will also be graded on grammar, spelling, proofreading/editing, and formatting. Number your pages. Possible deductions: 10 pts 5. You must include your original TV observation notes/data. Any assignment turned in without these notes will receive a "0." LENGTH AND FORMAT: Format this paper in 12-­‐point font, double-­‐spaced. It should be at least 1700 words, excluding Work Cited. SUBMITTING THE ASSIGNMENT: Submit a hardcopy of your paper at the beginning of class on the due date listed on the syllabus. You must ALSO upload your paper to the course Vista site, under the “Assignment Dropbox.” LATE PENALTY: You will lose 5 points for every day your assignment is late, starting immediately after the class that it is due. A Note on Citations You must use citations correctly! This means using quotes correctly when using text word-­‐for-­‐word, citing your source when paraphrasing someone else's idea, and in either case, providing the author's name, year published, and if a quote, the page number. You can use any citation style (ASA, APA, MLA), as long as you are consistent. Guides for these can be found on the BC Library website and many other places on the Internet. Examples of acceptable ways to cite sources follow. Note: These are just general examples-­‐ your citations must be correct for the specific types of sources you use!
If quoting an article or book in your essay: I agree with the authors of Women, Men and Society that "the development of a masculine or feminine gender identity is quite independent of either the presence of a pair of XY or XX sex chromosomes..." (Renzetti & Curran 2002, 41). If paraphrasing (using an article from Reconstructing Gender as an example): Gender can be understood as a process, a social institution and a stratification system (Lorber 2008). If referencing lecture/discussion in class: Labels like "bitch" and "sissy" are used to enforce social norms about gender (class discussion [or lecture], Jan. 30). Then your Works Cited would look like this: Works Cited Lorber, Judith. 2008. "The Social Construction of Gender." In Reconstructing Gender: A Multicultural Anthology, 5th edition, E. Disch, ed. New York: McGraw Hill. Renzetti, Claire M. and Daniel J. Curran. 2002. Women, Men, and Society, 5th Edition. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.