ZUR319 Group of experts (subject C): Imagining America: Media and the National Narrative

Fakulta sociálních studií
podzim 2010
Rozsah
0/2. 4 kr. Ukončení: z.
Vyučující
John Sumser (přednášející), doc. Mgr. Lenka Waschková Císařová, Ph.D. (zástupce)
doc. Mgr. Lenka Waschková Císařová, Ph.D. (cvičící)
Mgr. et Mgr. Miroslav Mašek (pomocník)
Mgr. Jana Urbanovská, Ph.D. (pomocník)
Garance
prof. PhDr. Jiří Pavelka, CSc.
Katedra mediálních studií a žurnalistiky – Fakulta sociálních studií
Kontaktní osoba: Ing. Bc. Pavlína Brabcová
Předpoklady
SOUHLAS
Lectures: December 2 and December 3 Reading of suggested materials.
Omezení zápisu do předmětu
Předmět je určen pouze studentům mateřských oborů.

Předmět si smí zapsat nejvýše 20 stud.
Momentální stav registrace a zápisu: zapsáno: 0/20, pouze zareg.: 0/20
Mateřské obory/plány
předmět má 16 mateřských oborů, zobrazit
Cíle předmětu
1. Politics of Hollywood Films Hollywood action movies, pretty much by definition, are not overtly political. They are, however, about problems, and how problems are defined, understood, and solved always involves some sense of a political worldview. Using the movie Die Hard as a starting point, I will discuss the political assumptions of Hollywood. 2. News Coverage and the 2010 U.S. Elections: Imagining the American Voter  Efforts to simply state what Americans want out of the mid-term elections is complicated by the increased dissatisfaction with the standard two-party framework and by the increased interactivity of the news media.  In on-line editions of newspapers, the standard division between news and commentary now must share space with reader reaction to both news and commentary.  In this talk, I will look at the portrayal of Americans presented in political news, in commentary, and in reader reactions. 3. Media and Myth U.S. news media are most often considered as an example of the “liberal model” of the press. They are seen, that is, as nonpolitical professional reporters of events rather than interpreters or commentators. Bill Moyers, who is a strong defender of this view, however, once said the role of journalists was to provide a “picture of the world on which they could act.” An actionable picture, I will argue, is one that goes well beyond the neutral reporting of events. Journalists, in their efforts to make sense of the world, place events in a narrative that may best be described as mythical. I will be discussing the idea of journalism as mythmaking and how that relates to the journalists’ commitment to truth and neutrality. 4. Media Effects One of the main reasons people are interested in the media is that the media are seen as having a direct and independent impact on both individuals and society. I will discuss the logic and evidence of the claims of “media effects” and consider to what extent the idea of media effects is an historical artifact based in a s
Osnova
  • Structure, topics and annotation: 1. Politics of Hollywood Films Hollywood action movies, pretty much by definition, are not overtly political. They are, however, about problems, and how problems are defined, understood, and solved always involves some sense of a political worldview. Using the movie Die Hard as a starting point, I will discuss the political assumptions of Hollywood. 2. News Coverage and the 2010 U.S. Elections: Imagining the American Voter  Efforts to simply state what Americans want out of the mid-term elections is complicated by the increased dissatisfaction with the standard two-party framework and by the increased interactivity of the news media.  In on-line editions of newspapers, the standard division between news and commentary now must share space with reader reaction to both news and commentary.  In this talk, I will look at the portrayal of Americans presented in political news, in commentary, and in reader reactions. 3. Media and Myth U.S. news media are most often considered as an example of the “liberal model” of the press. They are seen, that is, as nonpolitical professional reporters of events rather than interpreters or commentators. Bill Moyers, who is a strong defender of this view, however, once said the role of journalists was to provide a “picture of the world on which they could act.” An actionable picture, I will argue, is one that goes well beyond the neutral reporting of events. Journalists, in their efforts to make sense of the world, place events in a narrative that may best be described as mythical. I will be discussing the idea of journalism as mythmaking and how that relates to the journalists’ commitment to truth and neutrality. 4. Media Effects One of the main reasons people are interested in the media is that the media are seen as having a direct and independent impact on both individuals and society. I will discuss the logic and evidence of the claims of “media effects” and consider to what extent the idea of media effects is an historical artifact based in a system that no longer exists and what, if any, can be considered a “media effect”.
Výukové metody
lectures
Metody hodnocení
Reading of suggested materials. Writing essay on one of the lectures' topic.
Vyučovací jazyk
Angličtina
Informace učitele
John Sumser, Ph.D. is a sociologist primarily interested in the sociology of knowledge and in mass media studies. His Ph.D. is in Sociology from Stony Brook University in New York; his BA and MA degrees are in Philosophy from San Jose State University. He has combined his academic work with applied research into racism, the AIDS epidemic, organizational cultures, and political perception. He has written four novels that, alas, lie moldering in my agent’s office. PUBLICATIONS Books Currently in Progress: Creating the Universe: Communication and Religious Narratives. Expected completion: Spring, 2011 Books and Chapters Completed: Sumser, J. 2007. Liberation (completed novel currently with agent) Sumser, J. 2006. A Land Without Time: A Peace Corps Volunteer in Afghanistan. Chicago: Academy Chicago. Chosen as CSU Stanislaus Freshman Reader. Sumser, J. 2000. A Guide to Empirical Research in Communication: Rules for Looking. Newbury Park, California: Sage Publications, Inc. Sumser, J. 1996. Morality and the Social Order in Television Crime Drama. McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Sumser, J. 1995. Working It Out: Values, Perspectives, and Biography. In This Fine Place So Far From Home, Temple University Press. Sumser, J. Fallen by the Way. (Completed novel, at agent) Sumser, J. A Question of Identity. (Completed novel, at agent) Sumser, J. Local Knowledge. (Completed novel, at agent) He has published eight academic articles (half as sole author), fourteen peer-reviewed research abstracts, seven major reports for non-profit and/or government agencies, and twenty-six peer-reviewed conference papers.
Další komentáře
Předmět je vyučován jednorázově.
Výuka probíhá blokově.
Souhlas nebude udělen studentům, kteří v tomto semestru mají zapsaný předmět ZUR346, ZUR354 nebo ZUR577.
Předmět je zařazen také v obdobích jaro 2006, podzim 2007, podzim 2008, jaro 2009, podzim 2011.