The aim of the course is to introduce students to the most important issues in contemporary media ethics, based on their own experiences in their home countries. Students will learn relevant theory from media studies that they can use to understand ethically problematic phenomena and discuss these phenomena in an online class, which takes the form of a seminar discussion based on their essays.
In the seminars we follow the principles of safe space, i.e. no opinions, experiences or feelings are excluded as long as they are articulated in a respectful way. We express our own positions and do not attack others, even if they have different attitudes or worldviews than ours. The seminar encourages diversity and a variety of perspectives on ethical issues, from conservative to liberal. The goal is to have a productive discussion and learn theory-saturated reasoning.
Schedule (topics & assessments, all times in CET):
Introduction – Feb 15, 10:00 AM, ZOOM
Media and Society – March 7, 10:00 AM, ZOOMReading: Denis McQuail, Mass Communication Theory, chap. 4
Assessment: essay (3–4 pages in Word, font 11px, 1,5 line spacing) answering the question “How do you evaluate media in your country? How do they deal with the current issues, such as the war, energetic crisis, environmental crisis, populism etc. etc.?” Send your essay to the teacher (use the email address above) till March 5.
Media Organizations – March 28, 10:00 AM, ZOOM
Reading: Denis McQuail, Mass Communication Theory, chap. 11
Assessment: 4–5 pages in Word, font 11px, 1,5 line spacing) – choose one mainstream and one alternative media organization in your country and describe how they are organized, financed, who owns them, what are their institutional goals etc.; describe the pressures influencing their performance, their economical and political background. In conclusion, compare both media. Send your essay to the teacher (use the email address above) till March 26.
New Media – April 25, 10:00 AM, ZOOM
Reading: Denis McQuail, Mass Communication Theory, chap. 6
Assessment: 2–3 pages in Word, font 11px, 1,5 line spacing) – for a one week, follow on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram one news media in your country and analyze how they communicate on-line. Focus on topics, the language, how they use pictures, videos, how they communicate with the audience. Compare it with the style of traditional media. Send your essay to the teacher (use the email address above) till April 23.
Power in Network Society – May 16, 10:00, ZOOM
Reading: Manuel Castells, Power in Network Society
Final Assessment: 2–3 pages in Word, font 11px, 1,5 line spacing) – answer the question: “How can we resist the political and economical power in the network society? How can we use on-line media in a subversive way – to transform society?” Send your essay to the teacher (use the email address above) till May 14.
Students get credits for attendance, discussion, reading and assessments.
