INTRODUCTION TO CULTURAL STUDIES

Course Description

This course introduces students to the principle analytical techniques and interpretive strategies are used in the field of cultural studies. Designed for the students at beginning of their degrees in media and communications subjects, the course places particular emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches to the study of culture and will provide a conceptual foundation for scholarly work in a variety of related areas. The course will address to the work of major figures related to Cultural Studies, including Michel Foucault, Stuart Hall and Edward Said, and will consider topics related to their work, such as the representational work of the media, the interpretative role of the audience, and the relationship between culture and power.

INTRODUCTION TO CULTURAL STUDIES

Evaluation Tools (Active Term)

No evaluation items have been defined.

Course outcomes

1. 01 Define (2) cultural studies and explain (3) the interdisciplinary nature of field.
2. 02 Define (2) basic concepts of Cultural Studies such as, power, identity, ideology and representation.
3. 03 Assess (5) the constructed nature of identities, such as gender and nation.
4. 04 Define (2) the notion of stereotyping and identify (2) stereotypical representations in media and popular culture.

Course Syllabus

Reference Books & Course Materials

1. 01 Barker, C. (2012). Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice. (4th edition). Sage: London.
2. 02 Sardar, Z. and B. Van Loon, (2013). Introducing Cultural Studies: A Graphic Guide, Icon: London.
3. 03 Storey, J. (2016). Cultural Theory and Popular Culture. Routledge: London.
4. 04 Course notes on Moodle.

Learning Outcomes

1. L01 Explain (4) cultural studies and the study of popular culture as an interdisciplinary field of study. SOLO 4
2. L02 Identify (2) key terms and leading theorists of cultural studies and popular culture. SOLO 2
3. L03 Analyze a visual element of popular culture using some insights from semiotics. SOLO 4
4. L04 Describe (3) the relationship between popular culture and media. SOLO 3

Program Outcomes

1. P01 1. Recognized and applied all the learning tools and techniques learnt which they will implement throughout their lives and future careers.
2. P02 2. Become confident in their knowledge and skills so that they can successfully study and work on their own.
3. P03 3. Attained a high level of professionalism through the fundamental knowledge and skills gained in both marketing and digital fields.
4. P04 4. Demonstrated a solid understanding of core business principles in the primary areas of digital marketing, web technologies, new media and management, as well as the interconnectedness of these disciplines in the running of an organization.
5. P05 5. Been able to critically implement their knowledge and skills in both written, oral and digital forms to an intended audience, based on creative and analytical approaches.
6. P06 6.Demonstrated their understanding of the ethical and protected use of various new media such as social media, mobile technology, web analytics, search engine optimization, and viral advertising in both their studies and careers.
7. P07 7. Implemented best practices in business for planning, decision-making, and problem-solving based on collaborative work and studies.
8. P08 8. Demonstrated effective communication skills in addition to in-depth of analysis and synthesis which are essential in multicultural educational and work contexts.
9. P09 9. Demonstrated critical thinking characterized by the ability to define business problems with the evidence available, discern fact from opinion, determine underlying causes, formulate and evaluate potential solutions.
10. P10 10. Been able to implement ideas and concepts through the development and creation of digital content for effective social media marketing strategies, and designing and evaluating the effectiveness of interactive web sites to increase web traffic flows, visibility, consumer satisfaction and response rates.
11. P11 11. Embodied integrity in their work and actions, honor confidentiality, followed generally accepted codes of conduct in the digital marketing industry.
12. P12 12. Devoted themselves to follow the codes of ethics, improve privacy issues with social media, conflict, and citizenship in order to frame a better understanding of digital marketing.

Po-Lo Matrix