6 ECTS credits
171 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 4016225FNR for all students in the 2nd semester at a (F) Master - specialised level.

Semester
2nd semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Impossible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Taught in
English
Faculty
Faculty of Social Sciences & SolvayBusinessSchool
Department
Communication Sciences
Educational team
Yazan Badran (course titular)
Catalina-Mihaela Iordache
Activities and contact hours
26 contact hours Lecture
6 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
139 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
Course Content

This course aims to introduce and discuss in-depth the wide variety of approaches within the field of Media, Culture and Globalisation Theories.

It sets out from a critical discussion on Globalization, via questions such as how has the concept and field of globalization developed historically?; Is globalization new?; What have been turning points in globalization’s development and in the globalization of media and culture; Are these developments positive / negative and for whom?

In each of the following classes key authors and seminal theoretical texts in the field of media, culture and globalization are explained, discussed and evaluated. In addition, the theoretical content is applied or illustrated via concrete cases. This general approach is supported by the following points of attention in presenting media, culture and globalization theories:

  • Historical contextualization and critical discussion of the theories
  • A focus on pioneering and groundbreaking work in theorizing media, culture and globalization;
  • Embedding of the theories in theoretical schools within media studies and othe rrelevant disciplines theorizing media, culture and globalization (Political economy of communications; Cultural studies; Flow studies; Cultural Globalization, …).
  • The contextualization, elaboration and evaluation in terms of strengths and weaknesses of fundamental concepts in media, culture and globalisation theories.
  • Attention to interdisciplinary approaches to media, culture and globalisation, ranging from political sciences and International Relations over economics and law to sociology, anthropology, geography and postcolonialism.
  • Concrete illustration and discussion of contemporary relevance in the field

Examples of concepts & authors this course deals with are: Globalization; Cultural imperialism / Schiller; Flows / Nordenstreng; McDonaldization / Ritzer; Contraflows / Ang; Cultural globalization & Scapes / Appadurai; Orientalism / Said; Cosmopolitanism / Postcolonialism / Shome & Hegde; Diaspora / Budarick; Power Geometry of Space and Place / Massey; The Global City / Sassen; etc.

Course material
Digital course material (Required) : Media, Culture and Globalisation Theories, Reader with texts on media, culture and globalization, Miscellaneous, Canvas
Digital course material (Required) : Slides of lectures published, Jan Loisen, Canvas
Additional info

Practically, the course will consist of traditional classes and a few guest lectures, albeit that interactivity and discussion will be encouraged during these classes.
In addition, texts
 on media, culture and globalisation will be provided on the VUB learning platform.
Students will be required to read the supporting texts before each class in order to grasp the contents of the classes more swiftly and to make debate easier and fruitful.
Finally, students have to prepare an essay on a topic of choice related to the field of media, culture and globalization

Teaching Methods

Lecture: collective contact-dependent moments during which the lecturer engages with learning materials
- Seminar, Exercises or Practicals (Practical): collective or individual contact-dependent moments during which the students are guided to actively engage with learning materials
- Independent or External Form of Study (Self): independent study

This description of the teaching methods is indicative, in order to assess the expected study load.

Lecture: 26 hours (13 x 2 hours, including guest lectures)

Extra seminars or practicals: 6 hours (e.g., preparation and feedback on essays; excursion)

Self: 139 hours

  • keeping with the course material during the semester, amounting to 1 hour per hour lecture: 26 hours
  • preparation of texts in reader per lecture: 33 hours (3 hours per week, minus introductory and closing meeting)
  • preparation and writing of essay: 40 hours (5 days of 8 hours)
  • preparation exam: 40 hours (5 days of 8 hours)
Learning Outcomes

Algemene competenties

The specific aims of this course are:

  • to provide students with an overview of theoretical perspectives and an understanding of how globalization processes affect media and culture and vice versa;
  • to get acquainted with a variety of relevant concepts, theoretical schools and authors for the purpose of identifying and applying key concepts and theories that explain the relationship between media, culture and globalization;
  • to take into account both pioneering work in the field and contemporary research and analysis;
  • to stimulate critical reflection and have interactivity and discussion among staff and students;
  • to offer a multi- and interdisciplinary approach to the course’s topic; and
  • to connect theory to practice by making use of examples that illustrate the concrete and research relevance of media, culture and globalization theories.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 60% of the final mark.
Practical Exam determines 40% of the final mark.

Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Oral Exam with a relative weight of 60 which comprises 60% of the final mark.

    Note: Oral exam on course's contents, reader and essay

Within the Practical Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Essay with a relative weight of 40 which comprises 40% of the final mark.

    Note: Written essay on a topic of choice related to the course' contents.

Additional info regarding evaluation

The evaluation procedure in the first and second session is the same.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Communication Studies: Media and Culture (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Communication Studies: Digital Media in Europe
Master of Communication Studies: Journalism and Media in Europe
Master of Educational Sciences: Standaard traject
Master of Teaching in Social Sciences: communicatiewetenschappen (90 ECTS, Etterbeek) (only offered in Dutch)