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Regular version of the site
Bachelor 2020/2021

Theories of mass media internationalization

Type: Elective course (International Relations)
Area of studies: International Relations
Delivered by: Institute of Media
When: 4 year, 1, 2 module
Mode of studies: offline
Instructors: Natalia Grincheva
Language: English
ECTS credits: 4
Contact hours: 40

Course Syllabus

Abstract

This course offers an international perspective to explore media policies, industries, monopolies and alternative cultural and informational flows in the global media environments. It consists of two major parts: (1) International Perspectives on Media Policies and (2) Non-Western Media on the Global Stage. The first part of the course investigates key theoretical approaches in understanding media within global contexts. It surveys global media theories, explores national media policy approaches and deconstructs complex relationships between media and various actors, including national and local governments, non-state actors, supranational entities and transnational corporations. This part equips students with analytical tools to approach various case studies and examples offered in the second part of the course. Specifically, in the second module students explore alternative and emerging media monopolies and flows rapidly spreading within their respected regions and across the globe. This part provides a global tour around key media industries that have successfully integrated into the international media markets to contest global media monopolies.
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

  • The course aims to introduce students to foundation theories in media globalization and internationalization
  • Students will master key approaches to understand, explore and analyze media policies across local, national and regional contexts
  • students will learn to recognize and analyse main actors of global/international/transnational media regulations and governance
  • Students will explore specific media practices that exist across international media markets
Expected Learning Outcomes

Expected Learning Outcomes

  • Students are able to track back and understand the history of international mass media flows and governance.
  • Students are able to apply different theoretical frameworks and approaches to analyse international mess media actors and practices
  • Students are able to understand key mechanisms and actors of global media infrastructure and governance.
  • Students are able to identify, differentiate among, analyse and size power of different transnational media corporations on the global market
  • Students are able to define and critically analyse the complex processes of cultural, linguistic and media homogenization, heterogenization and hybridization
  • Students are able to identify and analyse alternative media across regions emerging on the global market
  • Students are able to identify powerful media industries in Asia and analyze their their international activities in the context of decreasing monopolies of the Western media
  • Students are able to identify powerful media industries in India and Nigeria and analyze their their international activities in the context of decreasing monopolies of the Western media
  • Students are able to identify powerful media industries in Latin America and analyze their their international activities in the context of decreasing monopolies of the Western media
  • Students are able to identify powerful media industries in the Middle East and analyze their their international activities in the context of decreasing monopolies of the Western media
Course Contents

Course Contents

  • International Media Communication: The Historical Context
    This topic provides a historical context for the study of international communication, examining how communication had an international dimension for centuries before the modern colonial empires emerged.
  • Global Communication Theories
    This topic aims to provide a theoretical overview of competing theories that inform the study of international communication, from Marxist to culturalist and postmodernist analyses of the subject.
  • Global Media Infrastructure and Governance
    This topic maps out the expansion of transnational media and telecommunications corporations in the era of free-market capitalism. It focuses on the macroeconomic context of liberalization, deregulation and privatization and the policies of multilateral institutions such as the WTO and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
  • Global/Local Media
    The topic examines questions of homogenization to English language mass media programs that promote a Western consumerist lifestyle. It also examines the process of cultural adaptation, while revealing heterogeneous tendencies leading to a hybrid form of global–local interactions.
  • Media flows and monopolies in Asia
    This topic explores major transnational media industries in Japan and South Korea.
  • Contesting Hollywood: Indian and Nigerian media giants
    This topic explores major transnational film industries in India and Nigeria.
  • Latino culture through global media
    This topic will explore Brazilian telenovelas as popular media product on the global market.
  • Arab media and the Al-Jazeera effect
    This topic will explore the raise of Al-Jazeera news industry and its international politics.
  • Contextualizing alternative media
    The topic focuses on contraflow in international media products – the trend towards the movement of cultural products from Global South to the media-rich North as well as within the South.
  • Transnational Media on the Global Market
    This topic surveys the key players in the global media and cultural industries: advertising, film, music, publishing, television and news agencies. It focuses on the world’s most powerful media and communication companies and discusses their strategies in a range of media sectors.
Assessment Elements

Assessment Elements

  • non-blocking Participation
    Online seminar participation constitutes an important part of the grade. It includes proper attendance (checked and recorded for each online Seminar) and active participation in group exercises, discussions, and online activities, especially on the Discussion board.
  • non-blocking Quizzes
    Throughout the course students will pass 7 online quizzes (worth 5% each of the total mark). Online quizzes and case study tests are designed to evaluate students’ knowledge received through required readings (only one book chapter for each class). Students are offered to pass online quizzes and tests any time at their convenience, but no later than 3 hours before the online seminar.
  • non-blocking Final project presentation
    Final project presentation is a group - led activity. Throughout the semester students will work in small groups (5 persons max) to develop their final project presentations, which must be delivered online at the final seminar session on Week 10 in the second module. The teamwork requires equal contributions from all involved group-mates and all students must be a part of the live presentation with their respective slides and talks.
Interim Assessment

Interim Assessment

  • Interim assessment (2 module)
    0.5 * Final project presentation + 0.15 * Participation + 0.35 * Quizzes
Bibliography

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

  • Iosifidis, P. (2011). Global Media and Communication Policy : An International Perspective. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=396206
  • Thussu, D. K. (2007). Media on the Move : Global Flow and Contra-Flow. London: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=173367

Recommended Additional Bibliography

  • Aldama, F. L. (2013). Latinos and Narrative Media : Participation and Portrayal. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=755254
  • Asian cultural flows cultural policies, creative industries, and media consumers Nobuko Kawashima, Hyun-Kyung Lee, editors. (2018). Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.512423881
  • Fernando Resende. (2017). Internationalizing Media and Cultural Studies: Travelling Knowledge and Translocalities. Westminster Papers in Communication and Culture, (1), 23. https://doi.org/10.16997/wpcc.246
  • Rini Bhattacharya Mehta, & Rajeshwari V. Pandharipande. (2011). Bollywood and Globalization : Indian Popular Cinema, Nation, and Diaspora. [N.p.]: Anthem Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1130788
  • Seib, P. M. (2012). Al Jazeera English : Global News in a Changing World (Vol. First edition). New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1230847