Kurzus nemzetközi vendég- és részidős hallgatóknak

Kar

Társadalomtudományi Kar

Szervezet

TÁTK Szociológia Tanszék

Kód

ESZOCBA65

Cím

Sociology of Communication

Tervezett félév

Tavaszi

Meghirdetve

2024/25/1

ECTS

4

Nyelv

en

Oktatás célja

The purpose of the course is for students to become familiar with the main theories dealing with the interaction between society and the media. We examine the role, influence, and social functions of the media. During the course, we alternate between synchronic and diachronic viewpoints, learn about the social conditions and consequences of the creation and spread of printed and audiovisual media, discuss classical theories of media influence, and examine their applicability in the age of new media. During the contact hours, the lecturer’s presentations and moderated discussions with the active participation of students alternate. The debates are organized around dilemmas related to the course topics.

Tantárgy tartalma

Outline: Week 1: Introduction. Course outline, course requirements. Functions and dysfunctions of the media. Week 2: The concept of the public sphere.  (Habermas). The transformation of the private and public spheres in the new media age. Debate: The transformation of the public in the age of the Internet: positives and negatives. Week 3: The print media Social, economic, and political conditions for the appearance and spread of the printed press. Early theoreticians of the freedom of the media. (Keane) Changing functions of the press. Debate: Greater media freedom or stricter regulation? Week 4:           The emergence of radio and film - early theories of media influence Magic bullet theory, (Lasswell), "People's choice" research, two-step flow of communication, the role of interpersonal communication (Katz-Lazarsfeld) Debate: Is mass media a weak or strong influence? Week 5:           The emergence of television - Theories of strong media influence Gerbner's cultivation theory; McLuhan's technological determinism. Debate: Is the content or form/medium of media messages more important? Week 6:  Weak media effect theories Agenda setting effect (McCombs and Shaw); Modification of the theory: framing theory. Debate: Passive or active audience? Week 7:           The role of the audience The role of the recipient in the interpretation of the message. The concept of an active audience. The uses and gratification theory. Selection. Possibilities of interpretation, coding, and decoding (S. Hall). Debate: the rise of new media and citizen journalism: positives and negatives. Week 8: The spiral of silence The relationship between mass media, interpersonal communication, and public opinion. The spiral of silence theory (Noëlle-Neumann). Pluralistic ignorance. Debate: Dictatorship of the majority? Week 9:           The informative function of the media The concept of news. The news value. How is the news created? The function of information in the age of infotainment. Debate: Do we need public service media? Week 10:         Fake news Information in the age of post-truth. The spread of fake news and conspiracy theories. Debate: Objective information or interpretive journalism? Week 11: The entertainment function of the media Historical overview. Criticism of the entertainment function - Frankfurt school. Debate: The rise of entertainment - the death of the responsible citizen? Week 12:         Postmodern media criticism Fragmentation, intertextuality, pastiche, irony (Baudrillard) Debate: Pros and cons of political correctness. Week 13:         Feminist media criticism Women in the media. Liberal, radical, and postmodern feminist media criticism. Invisibility, stereotypes, the male gaze. Debate: Feminizing media or surviving stereotypes?

Számonkérés és értékelés

Assessment: The final grade is based on the result of the written examination. The exam will cover the topics discussed during the class and the contents of the required readings. Students are expected to attend classes and participate actively in debates and class discussions. Debate participation can be rewarded by plus points.

Irodalomjegyzék

Required reading: Chambers, Deborah (2017) Networked intimacy: Algorithmic friendship and scalable sociality. European Journal of Communication, 32: 1. 26–36. https://doi.org/10.1177/0267323116682792 Griffin, Em; Andrew Ledbetter and Glenn Sparks (2023) A First Look at Communication Theory, 11th Ed. McGraw Hill, : Division Six: Mass Communication Habermas, J. (., Burger, T., & Lawrence, F. (1994). The structural transformation of the public sphere: An inquiry into a category of bourgeois society. Cambridge: Polity Press.(selected chapters) Keane, J. (. (1991). The media and democracy. Cambridge: Polity Press. (selected chapters)

Ajánlott irodalom

Further recommended reading: Boyd, Danah (2014) It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens. Yale University Press. Gill, Rosalind (2007) Gender and the Media. Polity Marris, P., & Thornham, S. (2005). Media studies: A reader (2nd ed.). Edinburgh University Press. Van Dijck, Jose (2013) The Culture of Connectivity: A Critical History of Social Media. Oxford University Press.

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