ZURn6335 Visual Communication Research

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2020
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Tae-Sik Kim, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Tae-Sik Kim, Ph.D.
Department of Media Studies and Journalism – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Ing. Bc. Pavlína Brabcová
Supplier department: Department of Media Studies and Journalism – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Thu 12:00–13:40 AVC
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
This course examines the cultural meanings of visual messages on various media. Grounded in the understanding of various theories from semiotics and cultural studies, this course teaches how to analyze media practices delivering visual messages firmly based on certain sociocultural contexts. This course also covers wider issues related to visual messages and our everyday lives in order for students to develop their own research agenda. By reading a variety of research articles assigned in the course and participating in class discussions, students learn to organize their own research projects focusing on visual communication and cultural understandings.
Learning outcomes
Students will be able to:
- comprehend the cultural meanings of visual messages
- understand the role of the media in distributing visual messages
- review and analyze a variety of research articles on visual communication
- find important themes and methods of semiotics
- conduct an interpretive research dealing with visual images
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction to the course
  • 2. Semiotics Theories: Saussure, Peirce, Barthes, and more
  • 3. Semiotics and Culture: Geertz and Bourdieu
  • 4. Semiotic Research
  • 5. Visual Media as Public Communication
  • 6. Visual Representation
  • 7. READING WEEK
  • 8. Analyzing Represented Visual Images
  • 9. Visual Ethnography
  • 9. Visual Analysis Practice (Group Presentations)
  • 10. Digital Photography - Interpersonal Media
  • 11. Images of Spaces: Cities as Visual Media
  • 12. Visual Ethics and Research Ethics
  • 13. Student Conference
Literature
  • ROSE, Gillian. Visual methodologies : an introduction to researching with visual materials. 4th edition. Los Angeles: SAGE, 2016, xxiii, 432. ISBN 9781473948891. info
  • GAINES, Elliot. Media literacy and semiotics. 1st ed. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010, xii, 181. ISBN 9780230108288. info
  • BARTHES, Roland. Mythologies. Translated by Annette Lavers. 1st pub. London: Vintage, 2000, 158 s. ISBN 0-09-997220-4. info
  • Representation : cultural representations and signifying practices. Edited by Stuart Hall. 1st pub. London: SAGE Publications, 1997, 400 s. ISBN 0761954325. info
  • GEERTZ, Clifford. The interpretation of cultures :selected essays. London: Fontana Press, 1993, ix, 470 s. ISBN 0-00-686260-8. info
  • BOURDIEU, Pierre. Distinction : a social critique of the judgement of taste. Translated by Richard Nice. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1984, xiv, 613. ISBN 0674212770. info
Teaching methods
The format of the course is a combination of brief lectures and controlled discussions of various assigned readings. All students are expected to read all articles assigned and to develop appropriate discussion questions. Each student is a discussion leader for an assigned week. Students submit a research paper (topic of student’s choice in consultation with instructor; minimum 20 pages including references, figures, and tables).
Assessment methods
attendance, discussion leadership, midterm report, response papers, research paper
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Autumn 2021.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2020, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2020/ZURn6335