MSCR 1220: Media, Culture, and Society (Spring 2013, CRN: 35690)

Class: TF 1:35pm-3:15pm, 012 Snell Library Instructor: Email: Phone: Website: Dr. Drew Ayers d.ayers@neu.edu (617) 373-6178 www.drewayers.com Office: 124A Holmes Office Hours: T 11:30am-1:30pm W 1:30pm-3:30pm By Appointment

N.B. 1) Blackboard will reflect updates to the course, changes in the syllabus, assignments, etc. Be sure to check it regularly. The course syllabus provides a general plan for the course; deviations may be necessary. 2) Your constructive assessment of this course plays an indispensable role in shaping education at Northeastern University. Upon completing the course, please take the time to fill out the TRACE evaluation. Course Description This course will assess developments in the mass media in order to provide a broader understanding of communication, cultural meanings, and social interaction. The course will examine the emergence of new means of communication at various historical junctures and critically analyze the implications of media technologies and the institutions and structures of the mass media. This course will also examine the ways in which visuality structures our understanding and engagement with media and its visual culture. Throughout the semester we will examine the means by which various media and their supportive industries influence cultural practices with attention to the ways that the media helped shape society in the past and the ways that continue to influence our daily lives. Course Objectives By the end of the course, students will be able to: Define terms, concepts, and theories fundamental to the study of mass media Employ these terms, concepts, and theories in academic writing, class discussion, and class presentations Write analytical/critical essays that show understanding of, engagement with, and thoughtful use of media studies vocabulary and concepts Conduct research specific to media studies The critical, argumentative, and written skills gained in this course are those required for upperlevel courses as well as for other critical engagements with the world. Required Texts 1) Lawrence Grossberg, Ellen Wartella, D. Charles Whitney, and J. MacGregor Wise, Mediamaking: Mass Media in a Popular Culture, 2nd Edition (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc., 2006). 2) Readings on Blackboard 3) Course screenings

2 Screenings Screenings will be held during class time as indicated in the daily schedule. Students are expected to attend all screenings, and absences from screenings will count against the attendance/participation grade. If a student cannot attend a screening, s/he must conduct the screening on his/her own time. Some materials are available through the library, and most materials are available through online rental and streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon, and iTunes. Attendance and Participation Attendance for this course is mandatory. My approach to this class will integrate lectures, class discussions, student presentations, and various exercises and activities in order to explore the principles discussed in the readings and lecturesyou cant participate if youre not there. Attendance will be taken during the first fifteen minutes of each class by using a sign-in sheet. If a student arrives to class after the first fifteen minutes, s/he will be counted as tardy. Each tardy counts as one-half of an absence. Each student will have three personal days during the semester to cover absences from class. These days may be used for any reason you choose and should include time out for illness, emergencies, religious holidays, travel, and family obligations. For each absence after the initial three, the overall attendance grade will be lowered by a full letter grade. If a student has an ongoing situation that requires special consideration, please discuss this with me at the beginning of the semester. Group discussion of course material will comprise a large portion of our in-class activity. It is essential that students have carefully read the assigned material prior to class in order to fulfill their responsibilities as a member of our learning community. Further, students are expected to participate actively in class discussion. Attendance/Participation comprises 10% of the final grade, and the participation grade will be based on both the frequency and quality of a students participation. The default participation grade for the class is a D, so even if you have perfect attendance, if you rarely contribute to class discussions, your grade will be negatively affected. Everyone is expected to participate in class discussions. A Note About Laptops and Technology As a media scholar, I acknowledge the ubiquity and utility of (new) media technologies. Laptops and other communication technologies can serve as useful educational and professional tools, provided they are used effectively and responsibly. However, it is often the case that technologies become distractions rather than learning aids. I leave it to you to decide how best to utilize your technology, but I have consistently found that students who are distracted during class tend to earn lower grades than those who engage with the lectures and discussions. Also keep in mind that if youre emailing friends and chatting on Facebook, youre not participating, and your participation grade will suffer. Think of your time in the classroom as an opportunity to unplug and devote complete focus to a subject. If youre going to email and Tweet the entire class, consider staying home. I also expect laptops to be closed during class screenings. If you want to take notes, please do so in an analog fashion, with paper and pencil.

Late Assignment Policy If an assignment is turned in late, one full letter grade will be deducted for each day the assignment is late. If a student is unable to submit the assignment on the day it is due, s/he must contact me prior to the class and make alternative arrangements. Assignments must be uploaded to Blackboard by class time on the day they are due (1:35pm). Assignments uploaded after 1:35pm will automatically be marked as late. When assignments are due, expect the unexpected. Assume that one (or perhaps all) of the following will happen on exam dates and assignment due dates: Your internet connection suddenly stops working Blackboard crashes or experiences some other kind of technical difficulty Your computer crashes and all your data is lost Your car will not run, your T line is undergoing maintenance, busses will skip your stop, and all of your friends will be out of town Please take whatever steps are necessary to prevent these events from affecting the timely submission of assignments and exams. Additional Sources of Academic Support The University offers a range of support services for students. Among the resources available are: The Writing Center (http://www.northeastern.edu/english/writing-center/)Provides advice and tutoring in composition Office of Academic & Student Support Services (http://www.cps.neu.edu/studentresources/oasss.php)Offers a variety of services, including tutoring, career counseling, and support groups MyNEU Academic Guide (http://www.advising.neu.edu/) Policy for Make-Up Exams Unless we have discussed rescheduling an exam before the exam date, exams may only be madeup in instances of extreme hardship. I will require documentation verifying the hardship, and the option to complete a make-up exam is at my discretion. Special Accommodations Students who wish to request accommodation for a disability may do so by registering with the Disability Resource Center (http://www.northeastern.edu/drc/). Students may only be accommodated upon issuance by the DRC of a signed accommodation plan and are responsible for providing a copy of that plan to instructors of all classes in which accommodations are sought. Assignments There are five primary assignments for the semester. We will talk about each in more detail as the due dates approach. 1) Weekly Blog Posts: By the midnight before each Friday class, students will post questions and responses to the weeks reading and screening to the class blog on Blackboard. The questions/responses should be posted as comments to the weeks blog entry. Each post should be a paragraph or two in length, and it may include questions

4 about the weeks reading, commentary/thoughts about the weeks reading, and/or a response to the connections between the reading and the screening(s). Creative Project: You have two choices for your creative project: a) Media Biography This assignment requires you choose an influential TV show, music artist, film or other form of media and historicize it. You need to answer the questions: What was going on in this country and the world during this time? How does this piece of media fit into its historical and cultural context? You will write a 2-3-page paper that requires at least three sources. b) 24-Hour Media Fast EssayThis assignment requires you to unplug from electronic media for a 24-hour period (that's rightno computers, TV, phone, prerecorded music, radio, etc.) and reflect on the place media has in your life. You will write a 2-3-page reflection essay about the experience, no sources required. The Creative Project is due on January 25. Take-Home Exams (x2): Students will complete two take-home exams, consisting of short answer and essay questions. This exam is meant to assess your understanding and synthesis of the course material, and students who keep up with the readings and attend and participate in class discussions and screenings should perform well. Students will have one week in which to complete each exam. Exam #1 is due on February 22, and Exam #2 is due on April 12. Final Paper Proposal: Each student must submit a short proposal for his/her final paper, which is due on March 29. See page 10 of this syllabus for a template of the proposal. Class Presentation: Each will present his/her final paper project to the class in a 5 to 7minute speech. These presentations will take place on April 9, 12, and 16. Final Paper: Students will write a 1000-1500 word critical analysis of a media object(s) of their choosing. The final paper is due on April 21 at 5:00pm. See page 11 of this syllabus for more details.

2)

3)

4) 5) 6)

All materials must be submitted to Blackboard by the beginning of the class for which they are due (1:35pm), and papers should be typed in 12-point Times New Roman, 1-inch margins on all sides, and double-spaced. Each page should also include your last name and the page number in the upper right-hand corner. The upper left-hand corner of the first page should include your name, my name, the course name, and the date of submission. Use Chicago or MLA format for your citations and works cited page. Grading Weekly Blog Posts: Creative Project: Take-Home Exams (x2: 15% each) Final Paper Proposal: Class Presentation: Final Paper: Attendance/Participation: Grading Breakdown B+ A 94-100% B A90-93% B87-89% 84-86% 80-83% C+ C C10% 10% 30% 10% 5% 25% 10% 77-79% 74-76% 70-73% D+ D D67-69% 64-66% 60-63%

Below 60%

Grading Criteria A indicates truly outstanding work that shows a command of concepts and theories, presenting them in a well-argued and logically structured manner. The work doesnt merely address the questions through a repetition of course material and lectures. It provides fresh, creative, and original perspectives with a unique voice, offering connections between the topic and broader issues and contexts. Superior research skills are demonstrated with relevant citations and quotations advancing the argument. The work is error-free in spelling and grammatical errors. A work significantly surpasses the expectations of the assignment. B indicates above-average work that clearly achieves the goals of the assignment. The work provides smart and solid analyses that I would expect any diligent student to be able to produce. These assignments take on the questions directly, citing specific materials from the texts and lectures to illustrate the points being made. These assignments often offer previously discussed examples illustrating points covered in class. There are usually few typos or spelling errors (if any), sentences are relatively clear, and thoughts are organized into a concise argument. C indicates satisfactorily meeting the course requirements in an adequate fashion. The work addresses the questions but doesnt explicitly cite specific texts and discussion. This work tends to recycle examples from discussion without discussing how they fit with the analysis and repeats information given in class. There are usually typos, spelling errors, and poorly structured sentences that make the argument vague or awkward. D indicates work that is off-topic, poorly written, disorganized, and instead of the course materials, relies on personal experience alone or materials from other classes. In other words, the assignment shows no evidence that the student was paying attention in class and does not incorporate materials used in the readings or in class discussion. Often these assignments seem more like summaries or reviews rather than analyses. These assignments may also fall short or far exceed the page limits or time constraints for the assignment. They do not use appropriate grammar and often are not proofread. F indicates work that dramatically fails to meet course goals and course expectations. It is incoherent, plagiarized, and/or never turned in. Regarding Scholastic Dishonesty: I take this matter very seriously and will report any suspected cases of academic dishonesty to the Office of Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution. For details on the Universitys policy on Academic Integrity, please consult the Offices website at http://www.northeastern.edu/osccr/academicintegrity/index.html. The policy prohibits cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, participation in academically dishonest activities, and facilitating academic dishonesty. The process by which the university handles academic misconduct cases is also very specifically spelled out in the policy. Violation of the policy may result in failing the class as well as disciplinary sanctions. The internet makes it easy to plagiarize, but also easy to track down plagiarismIf you can google it, I can google it. Bottom line: Dont plagiarizeits not worth it. Cite all your sources, put all direct quotations in quotation marks, and clearly note when you are paraphrasing other authors work.

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Northeasterns Academic Integrity Policy http://www.northeastern.edu/osccr/academicintegrity/index.html A commitment to the principles of academic integrity is essential to the mission of Northeatern University. The promotion of independent and original scholarship ensures that students derive the most from their educational experience and their pursuit of knowledge. Academic dishonesty violates the most fundamental values of an intellectual community and undermines the achievements of the entire University. The following is a broad overview, but not an all-encompassing definition, of what constitutes a violation of academic integrity. Cheating: The University defines cheating as intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise. When completing any academic assignment, a student shall rely on his or her own mastery of the subject. Examples: Unauthorized use of notes, text, the Internet, or other aids during an examination. Copying from another students academic work. Unauthorized communication during an examination. Handing in the same paper for more than one course without the explicit permission of the instructor(s). Intentionally viewing a test before it is administered. Storing notes in a portable electronic device for use during an examination.

Fabrication: The University defines fabrication as intentional and unauthorized falsification, misrepresentation, or invention of any information, data, or citation in an academic exercise. Examples: Inventing data or facts for an academic assignment. Altering the results of a lab experiment or survey. Citing a source in a bibliography that was not used. Stating an opinion as a scientifically proven fact.

Plagiarism: The University defines plagiarism as intentionally representing the words, ideas, or data of another as ones own in any academic exercise without providing proper citation. The following sources require citation: Word-for-word quotation from a source, including another students work. Paraphrasing (using the ideas of others in your own words). Unusual or controversial facts not widely recognized. Audio, video, digital, or live exchanges of ideas, dialogue, or information. Students unclear as to whether or not a source requires citation should speak with their professor or consult the Writing Center in 412 Holmes Hall. Unauthorized Collaboration: The University defines unauthorized collaboration as instances when students submit individual academic works that are substantially similar to one another. While several students may have the same source material, the analysis, interpretation, and reporting of the data must be each individual's independent work. Examples: Sharing a take-home examination, case write-up, lab report, or any other assignment with a peer without express permission from the instructor. Completing an academic exercise with the aid of a peer, but unfairly crediting all work to oneself.

Participation in Academically Dishonest Activities: The University defines participation in academically dishonest activities as any action taken by a student with the intent of gaining an unfair advantage. Examples: Misrepresenting oneself or one's circumstances to an instructor. Stealing an examination. Purchasing a pre-written paper. Selling, loaning, or otherwise distributing materials for the purpose of cheating, plagiarism, or other academically dishonest acts. Destroying, altering, stealing, or forging another student's work, library materials, laboratory materials, academic records, course syllabi, or examination/course grades. Intentionally missing an examination or assignment deadline to gain an unfair advantage. Forging information or signatures on official University documents.

Facilitating Academic Dishonesty: The University defines facilitating academic dishonesty as intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to violate any provision of this policy. Examples: Doing academic work for another student. Making available previously used academic work for another individual with the intention of resubmitting the work for credit.

Guidelines All members of the Northeastern University community share a role in upholding the Academic Integrity Policy. Any member of the community who witnesses a violation of this policy should report it to the appropriate faculty member or the Office of Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution. Cases referred to the Office of Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution will be investigated and, if sufficient evidence is presented, the case will be referred to the University's Student Conduct Board. If a student is found responsible for violating any of the preceding items, a minimum sanction of deferred suspension will follow. A second violation will meet with expulsion from the University. Students who violate Northeastern University's Academic Integrity Policy may also be subject to individual course penalties. This can result in, but is not restricted to, failing the course, in addition to any University penalty. All instructors must reference academic integrity in their syllabi. If a student feels that he or she has been wrongly accused of violating the Academic Integrity Policy, the student has the right to appeal the charge to the body that first issued the sanction.

7 Daily Schedule Why Study Media? 1/8 Reading: Screening: 1/11 Reading: Course Syllabus Frontline: The Persuaders (2004)

Grossberg, et al., Preface to the Second Edition Grossberg, et al., Preface to the First Edition Smith, Its Just a Movie du Gay, et al. Introduction, Doing Cultural Studies Assignment: Choose Creative Project Grossberg, et al., Chapter 1 La Jetee (1962); Camera (2000); At the Suicide of the Last Jew in the World in the Last Cinema in the World (2007) McLuhan, The Medium is the Message Smith, What Difference Does a Medium Make?

Media in Context 1/15 Reading: Screening: 1/18 Reading:

Narratives of Media History 1/22 Reading: Grossberg, et al., Chapter 2 Screening: Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, This is My Crazy Family (2012) 1/25 Reading: Adorno and Horkheimer, The Culture Industry Assignment: Creative Project Due

Media People and Organizations 1/29 Reading: Grossberg, et al., Chapter 3 Screening: The TV Set (2006) 2/1 Meaning 2/5 2/8 Reading: Reading: Screening: Reading: Holt, Its Not Film, Its TV (http://bit.ly/TfxO9Q) Grossberg, et al., Chapter 5 Man With a Movie Camera (1929) Benjamin, The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility

The Interpretation of Meaning 2/12 Reading: Grossberg, et al., Chapter 6 Screening: Rear Window (1954) or Peeping Tom (1960)

8 2/15 Reading: Mulvey, Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema Mitchell, There are no Visual Media Assignment: Distribute and Discuss Exam #1 Reading: Screening: Reading: Grossberg, et al., Chapter 7 The Office, Diversity Day (2005) Girls, Vagina Panic (2012)

Ideology 2/19

2/22

Nakamura, Digital Racial Formations and Networked Images of the Body Assignment: Exam #1 Due Grossberg, et al., Chapter 8 Downton Abbey (2011) Bourdieu, Distinction (selections) Fanon, The Fact of Blackness

Producing Identities 2/26 Reading: Screening: 3/1 3/5 3/8 Reading: NO CLASS NO CLASS

Consuming the Media 3/12 Reading: Screening: 3/15 Reading:

Grossberg, et al., Chapter 9 Trekkies (1999) Jenkins, Buying into American Idol Smith, What is Interactivity? Grossberg, et al., Chapter 10 The Simpsons, Itchy & Scratchy & Marge (1990) South Park, Raising the Bar (2012) Hall, Encoding/Decoding Smith, Studies Show: How to Understand Violence/Effects Research Grossberg, et al., Chapter 11 Clips from daily news

Media and Behavior 3/19 Reading: Screening: 3/22 Reading:

Media and Politics 3/26 Reading: Screening:

9 3/29 Reading: Debord, Society of the Spectacle (selections) Parks, Zeroing In: Overheard Imagery, Infrastructure Ruins, and Datalands in Afghanistan and Iraq Assignment: Final Paper Proposal Due Grossberg, et al., Chapter 13 Pokmon, Pokmon, I Choose You! (1998) South Park, Chinpokomon (1999)

Media Globalization 4/2 Reading: Screening: 4/5 Reading:

Iwabuchi, How Japanese is Pokmon? Collins, Danish Postmodern Tran, Psy, Lets talk about Gangnam Style (http://bit.ly/RQXBTL) Assignment: Distribute and Discuss Exam #2 Topic: In-Class Presentations of Final Papers

4/9 4/12 4/16 4/21

Topic: In-Class Presentations of Final Papers Assignment: Exam #2 Due Topic: In-Class Presentations of Final Papers Course Wrap-Up and Discussion

Assignment: Final Paper Due

10 Final Paper Proposal Information and Template 1) Your final paper proposal should include the following information: a. The title of your final paper b. A thesis statement/research question and summary of your argument. Be specific here. Let me know exactly what argument youre going make, the main points of the argument, and how youre going to support the argument. c. An outline of your final paper 2) Remember, the more thorough and detailed you are, the better feedback I can provide. 3) This assignment must be uploaded to Blackboard by the beginning of class (1:35pm) on March 29. 4) Here is a template for the proposal: a. Title of Final Paper b. Thesis and Summary of Main Argument c. Outline of the Complete Paper

11 Final Paper Assignment 1) For this paper, you will develop an argument that engages with a topic and media object(s) of your choosing. I will leave the exact topic up to you, but your paper should demonstrate a clear understanding of and engagement with the concepts weve discussed in class. You are also required to use and engage with at least 2 of the class readings in your paper. 2) This paper should expand on the work you did in your proposal, and you should expect to do significant rethinking/revising of your initial argument, incorporating any suggestions your classmates and I may have provided you. Failure to take revision suggestions into account will negatively affect your grade on this paper. 3) Your paper must be 1000-1500 words in length, and you should include a title page and bibliography. The title page should include your name, my name, the course name, the date of submission, and a title for your paper. 4) If you use information from any outside sources (including Wikipedia and the course texts), be sure to cite these using Chicago or MLA format. Remember, any time you use another authors work (either paraphrased or directly quoted), you must cite that author. Plagiarism will result in an automatic zero for the assignment and possible academic sanctions. See the librarys research page for more information: http://subjectguides.lib.neu.edu/content.php?pid=30708. 5) The essay should be typed in 12-point Times New Roman, 1-inch margins on all sides, and double-spaced. Each page should also include your last name and the page number in the upper right-hand corner. 6) The paper is due on April 21, and it must be uploaded to Blackboard by 5:00pm. Late papers will be deducted one letter grade for each day they are late.