Sociology of Media and Communication

Code:

SOCI050

Acronym:

SCM

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Sociology

Instance: 2022/2023 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Sociology
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Sociology

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
SOCI	47	SOCI - Study Plan	3	-	6	41	162

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

• It is intended that students sociologically analyze the mechanisms of production, dissemination and reception of the social process of communication, present in everyday interactions, but also in the media field; relate to new and old media; who are able to uncover logical hierarchy and inequality in network communication devices.

Learning outcomes and competences

It is expected that at the end of the unit, students are able to: deconstruct concepts; work autonomously; develop skills to formulate and carry out empirical research proposals in the media studies field; demonstrate the ability to perform an oral presentation and produce scientific writing.

Working method

Presencial

Program

 

1. Introduction -Mass Media in Contemporary society: from 19th-century mass society to post-modern society and culture

 

2. Media Social analysis

2.1 Representations and stereotyping in media contents

2.2 The social production of news (selection, production)

2.3 Professional culture: journalism and the critique of objectivity

 

3. Media criticisms :

3.1 MacDonald, Boortsin, Ewen, Postman

3.2 The Frankfurt School’s critique of the culture industry-

 

4. Manufacturing (Un)realities

4.1 The social construction of (un) reality

4.2 Reality TV

4.3 The culture of unreality (visual culture - hyperreality – virtual reality)

4.4 Consumer culture and advertising

4.5 Celebrity culture – constructing celebrities-

 

5. Media audiences

5.1 Audience Research (effects, uses, audience reception and power)

5.2 Subcultures, fandom, cybercommunities

5.3 The social and technical contexts of privacy

5.4 Digital, media and information literacy

 

6. Media in the global age

6.1 New Media 

6.2 The rise of a convergence culture

6.3 Media Power: from mainstream to alternative media

6.4 The rise of a new public sphere?

6.5 Network, information and democracy

6.6 Alternative Media: Activism and new forms of cyberprotest

6.7 Networked sociality and its investigation

6.8 New structures of social life

6.9  Digital economy: framing the debate and economic models of platforms

Mandatory literature

Aubenas, Florence; A^fabricação da informação. ISBN: 972-610-497-1
Bitti, Pio Ricci; A^comunicação como processo social. ISBN: 972-33-0887-8
Bourdieu, Pierre, 1930-2002; Sobre a televisão. ISBN: 972-8027-74-5
Cardoso, Gustavo 340; Da comunicação de massa à comunicação em rede. ISBN: 978-972-0-45268-9
Cardoso, Gustavo; Para uma sociologia do Ciberespaço. ISBN: 972-8027-97-4
Castells, Manuel; A sociedade em rede. ISBN: 978-972-31-0984-9
Esteves, João José Pissarra Nunes 340; Comunicação e sociedade. ISBN: 972-24-1188-8
Innerarity, Daniel; O^novo espaço público. ISBN: 978-972-695-906-9
Poster, Mark; A^segunda era dos média. ISBN: 972-774-065-0
Wolton, Dominique; E depois da Internet?. ISBN: 972-29-0512-0

Teaching methods and learning activities

Classes are structured around an articulation between lecture sessions, organized moments of discussion and presentation of papers by student groups. Are summoned various materials, including viewings of news, advertising, events and programs in various media, as well as indicators of adhesion/detachment compared with media operators.

keywords

Social sciences > Sociology

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Trabalho escrito	60,00
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	40,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	55,00
Frequência das aulas	39,00
Trabalho de investigação	30,00
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	38,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

Distributed evaluation without the final exam:


Written Research Work developed  (60%)
Oral Presentation  (40%)
It is a condition for success in the course presentation of all these assessment elements.


The requirement of presence in at least 75% attendance is not a condition for obtaining frequency. It is a condition for success in the course of the presentation, all elements of assessment - written and work/reports within the tutorials exam.

The classification from any assessment components must be greater than or equal to 8,0.

Calculation formula of final grade

Written research work: 60%
Oral presentation of the individual written work: 40%
Only the written work is open to improvement.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Students who are exempted from class attendance are required to contact the professor at the beginning of the semester, for the purpose of establishing the respective procedures for evaluation.

Classification improvement

• The student may apply for improving the classification. 


• It is not possible to improve final grade on the essays component.

Observations

The course will be taught in Portuguese. Students with special status are subject to the same type of assessment for students enrolled in the ordinary regime, leaving only exempt from compulsory attendance and exhibition of the works of tutorials in class.


Meeting with the teacher will be under appointment by email.

Contacts:jlopes@letras.up.pt