DWA 281 Media and Global Change

This course will explore the past, present, and future role of media in shaping global change, and guide students in the development of a global media campaign. The campaign will be the culmination of an inquiry around media as a tool for social change. From pivotal news events of the last twenty years, to the rise of reality television, social media, and declining influence of print and broadcast journalism, this course will use media literacy case studies and comparative analysis of news coverage and critical analysis of cinema trends in art and culture to explore media's impact on social norms and cultural-narratives. Specifically, we will examine the role of media in various revolutions worldwide - the recent role of social media in the overthrow and transition of the Egyptian government (the Square), the role of song in South Africa's struggle for freedom, and international news coverage of the Feminist Movement and the Black Panther party. How is it that movements are organized using media as a tool for social change? Professional writers, media executives, and branding experts will be guest speakers for viewing-salons that will be scheduled throughout the semester. Students will learn media literacy skills and develop critical thinking by engaging with the role media plays in major historical, cultural, and social issues; become active learners as they gain proficiency to approach their own personal inquiries with creativity and scholarly rigor; gain expression through visual storytelling, data visualization, and social media, as they create their own global media campaign and present it at a final salon for the course; and participate in the shaping of the narrative around global social change.