MST 247: Media Representation

Goal: To examine the ways in which media represents and constructs social identities, including gender, sexuality, class, race, and disabilities, through advertising, film, and television. This course aims to provide students with critical tools to analyze media texts and understand how these representations shape cultural narratives and societal norms.
Content: Readings, discussions, and analyses of media texts, focusing on the works of influential scholars such as Stuart Hall, bell hooks, and others. The course explores representation through a variety of media, including advertising, film, and television, with an emphasis on the construction of identity and power dynamics. Topics include gender representation, sexuality, class stratification, racial and ethnic identities, and the portrayal of disabilities in media. Critical methodologies include cultural studies, ideological criticism, feminist criticism, intersectionality, and postcolonial theory, with attention to how these frameworks uncover the underlying messages and societal impact of media representations.
Prerequisite(s): Completion of the College’s writing proficiency requirement.
Credit: 3
Degree Level: Undergraduate