Кто читает:: Институт медиа

Статус:: Курс обязательный

Когда читается:: 1-й курс, 1, 2, 4 модуль

Abstract

The Critical Political Economy of Media course offers students a perspective on media and communication from the standpoint of the production, accumulation and concentration of capital in the broadest sense. The main emphasis throughout the discipline is on the ‘classical’ Marxist critique of political economy, but this is not the exclusive theoretical perspective offered within the discipline. Students will be introduced to various socio-economic aspects of the emergence, development and dynamics of modern media (mass media, Internet, technological platforms and infrastructures) as economic agents and/or objects of economic interest.

Learning Objectives

To provide students the critical reasoning in field of analysis of media structures
To teach students main theoretical framework in field of media domination and commodification
To make students able to critically assess media business, media companies in terms of their power relations
To provide students the political economic critique of media technologies and technological determinism
To introduce students to major issues underpinning the political economy of media and communication (M.B.)
To develop the students’ understanding of the underlying ideological assumptions behind media technology, mediated representations and informational and communicative labor (M.B.)
To provide an array of tools to deconstruct complex social totalities saturated by capitalist media and communicative practices (M.B.)
To assist students in developing an immanent critique of Western-centric media (M.B.)
To navigate and understand the philosophical underpinnings of critical political economy of the media approaches (J.M.)
To identify the key steps of the media and culture industrialisation process and the socio-technical factors which were at play in this historical evolution (J.M.)
To take into consideration key paradigm shifts within these approaches, in particular those arising from the question of the place or function of receivers or so-called consumers of media and cultural content (J.M.)
To understand recent evolutions (collaborative web, media convergence, participatory culture, platformisation, etc.), through a broader historical perspective taking into account earlier critical political economy work looking at lesser-known phenomena and alternatives (J.M.)
To gain insight into the potential future developments in the field of media and culture industries via the study of recent work in the field covering specific areas such as the role of ideological production, audience labour or blockchain-enabled disintermediation (J.M.)

Expected Learning Outcomes

Able to analyze the concentration in cross-sectoral fields (such as telecommunications, IT, software etc.) and their power relations
Able to classify and define models of the media capital accumulation
Able to define main concepts of marxian dialectics and their relevance for media studies
Able to distinguish critical theory from uncritical
Able to separate critical reflects from uncritical reflections on media industries
Able to use anti-commercial critique in studying media
Able to use main CPEM arguments against notion of network power, network society, participatory culture and network activism
Characterizes media as public good
Classify different directions in cultural domination theories
Critically assess the way media affects other forms of power
Define different approaches to critique from the Frankfurt School
Defines main risks of the pure commercialization
Defines the notion of cultural imperialism
Defines the place of critical political economy among other political economic approaches to media.
Defines the role of media as symbolic power
Distinguish between theory of cultural industries and theory of creative industries
Gives the main definition of power
Identify and classify main models of functionning
Identify main proponents of the positivistic vision of the media globalism (De Sola Pool, Lerner)
Identify main structural peculiarity of value in cultural industries
Knows main concepts of critique from Horckheimer, Marcuse and Habermas
Makes the definition of the political economy of media
To be able to assess the role played by communication and media practices in producing and reproducing capitalist hegemony.
To be able to critically de-construct the rhetoric on media technology
Understanding of different logics and aims of the concentration process
Knows the key authors and different currents that have shaped this field of analysis, and the philosophical/political projects that have underpinned their research (J.M.).
Understands the relevance of both seminal/early theoretical and empirical contributions, and recent research, for the understanding of key contemporary phenomena in the media and culture industries (J.M.).
Engages with specific elements from these theoretical and empirical contributions, in relation to his or her own experiences as both early-stage media scholar and media user, producer, broad/narrowcaster, etc. (J.M.).
Offers compelling evidence of this understanding and engagement in oral seminar exchanges and in the written work expected for the two term papers (J.M.).
Employs analytical tools to dissect social imaginaries dominated by cultural commodities (M.B.).
Assesses the role played by communication and media practices in producing and reproducing capitalist hegemony (M.B.).
Understands and critically evaluates the so-called black box of current digital and algorithmic technology (M.B.).
Сritically de-constructs the rhetoric on media technology (M.B.).
Use main political economy tools to analyze Google and technological platforms (N.S.)
Defines the notion of the Google solutionnism (N.S.)
Able to analyze the ideology of Google (N.S.)
Knows basic categories of political economy (A.P.)
Understands the socio-economic significance and position of the media and communication industries within the capitalist economic system (A.P.)
Applies the theoretical framework of political economy to their analysis of phenomena in the fields of media communications and cultural processes (A.P.)

Course Contents

Critical political economy of media among other theories
Critical political economy and world media domination critique
Media and power assymmetries
Theory of cultural industries
Basics of the Marxist dialectics for media studies
Political economy critique of technological positivism
Critical theory and Frankfurt School as early form of critical political economy
Critical political Economy of media and critic of commodification
Critical political economy of media capital concentration
Close Encounters: The Media and Communication as/and Capitalist Forms (Marco Briziarelli)
Course Introduction. The method of Political Economy (M.B. - 1)
Marxist Theory (M.B. - 2)
Materialism (M.B. - 3)
Mediating Symbolic and Material Value (M.B. - 4).
Capitalism and Communication (M.B - 5)
Media as Means of Production (M.B. - 6)
Paper ideas Brainstorming (M.B. - 7)
Ideology (M.B. - 8)
Nationalism (M.B. - 9)
Imperialism (M.B. - 10)
Metaphysics of Communication (M.B. - 11)
Communication Struggles (M.B. - 12)
Final Paper Presentation (M.B. - 13)
N. Smyrnaios' Block
Media industrialisation: modernity and the genesis of a “new culture” (1840 – 1920) (J.M.)
Contributions of the Frankfurt school to a Critical Political Economy of Media (1920 – 1960) (J.M.)
Key approaches and evolutions in Critical Political Economy of Media (1960-1995). Part 1. (J.M.)
Key approaches and evolutions in Critical Political Economy of Media (1960-1995) Part 2. (J.M.)
Continuity and development of research on communication and cultural industries; toward the creative industries (1995-2010) (J.M.)
Renewed critique of media and culture industries (since 2010) (J.M.)
Web3 or blockchain-enabled platforms: glimpses of the future of the digital media? (J.M.)
A. Pereiaslov's Block
L. Paolicchi's Block

Assessment Elements

Essay (!)
Activity in the seminar (A.P.)
In class activity (L.P.)
Reading of material, discussion of its main theses and application of the concepts seen in class.
Activity (!)
Group presentation on a course topic (!)
Written Assignment (A.P.)
The written assignment is conducted in person during the final seminar. Students must arrive on time, bring a pen or pencil (preferably several), and take seats spaced apart as much as possible. The teacher distributes printed versions of the test. Each student must write their name on the provided sheet and complete only the tasks assigned in their variant. If needed, the teacher may provide an additional piece of paper for answers that do not fit on the main form; however, students are encouraged to keep their responses concise. The use of mobile phones and any electronic devices (including smartwatches) during the test is strictly prohibited. Leaving the classroom is allowed only with the teacher’s permission and after showing personal devices to confirm that the student is leaving without them. If necessary, the teacher may provide an English–Russian dictionary. Students are not allowed to bring or use their own or borrowed dictionaries, or any other supplementary materials. Any form of cheating, including the exchange of answers or ideas (even via means of ✨telepathy🔮), or obstruction of examination procedure results in the annulment of the work, which will not be graded. The duration of the test corresponds to the length of the seminar. All completed assignments must be submitted by the end of the seminar. The teacher undertakes to review all assignments and report the results before the end of the examination period.
Individual literature-review presentation (!)
Debates
Test (!)

Interim Assessment

2026/2027 1st module
0.1 * Activity in the seminar (A.P.) + 0.4 * Written Assignment (A.P.) + 0.5 * Essay (!)
2026/2027 2nd module
0.4 * Test (!) + 0.5 * Group presentation on a course topic (!) + 0.1 * In class activity (L.P.)
2026/2027 4th module
0.5 * Individual literature-review presentation (!) + 0.4 * Group presentation on a course topic (!) + 0.1 * Activity (!)
2027/2028 2nd module
0.25 * Test (!) + 0.25 * Debates + 0.1 * Activity (!) + 0.4 * Essay (!)

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

9781617508301 - Debord, Guy - Society Of The Spectacle - 2012 - INscribe Digital - https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=1149446 - nlebk - 1149446
Bagdikian, B. H. (2000). The New Media Monopoly : A Completely Revised and Updated Edition with Seven New Chapters: Vol. 6th Beacon pbk. ed. Beacon Press.
Bellavoine, C., Bouquillion, P., & Wiart, L. (2018). Digital Platforms and Performing Arts: Communication of Theatrical Institutions, Audience Development, and Platform Strategies of Industrial Players.
Castells, M. (2010). The Rise of the Network Society, With a New Preface (Vol. 2nd ed., with a new pref). Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=304270
Castells, M. (2013). Communication Power (Vol. 2nd edition). Oxford: OUP Oxford. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=620218
Cinzia Bianchi. (2015). Ferruccio Rossi-Landi: language, society and semiotics. https://doi.org/10.12977/ocula44
Dwayne Winseck, & Dal Yong Jin. (2011). The Political Economies of Media : The Transformation of the Global Media Industries. Bloomsbury Academic.
Fuchs, C. (2014). Social Media : A Critical Introduction. SAGE Publications Ltd.
Fuchs, C. (2019). Rereading Marx in the Age of Digital Capitalism. Pluto Press.
Graham Murdock, & Peter Golding. (n.d.). For a Political Economy of Mass Communications.
Graham Murdock. (2006). Blindspots about Western Marxism. A Reply to Dallas Smythe.
Hesmondhalgh, D., Kiely, R., & Marfleet, P. (1998). chapter 7: Globalisation and cultural imperialism: a case study of the music industry. In Globalisation & the Third World (pp. 163–183). Taylor & Francis Ltd / Books. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=sih&AN=17444536
Ithiel de Sola POOL. (1983). Technologies of Freedom. Harvard University Press.
Jenkins, H. (2006). Convergence Culture : Where Old and New Media Collide. New York: NYU Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1020918
Johan Galtung. (1990). Cultural Violence. Journal of Peace Research, 3, 291.
John B. Thompson. (2013). Media and Modernity : A Social Theory of the Media. Polity.
Liebes, T., & Katz, E. (1986). Dallas and Genesis: Primordiality and Seriality in Popular Culture.
Marx, K., & Engels, F. (2001). Capital : A Critique of Political Economy. Electric Book Co.
McChesney, R. W., & Recorded Books, I. (2015). Rich Media, Poor Democracy : Communication Politics in Dubious Times. New York: The New Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1015632
Morozov, E. (DE-588)1034109286, (DE-627)744071933, (DE-576)381755533, aut. (2011). The net delusion the dark side of internet freedom Evgeny Morozov.
Mosco, V. (2009). The Political Economy of Communication: Vol. 2nd ed. SAGE Publications Ltd.
Nicholas Garnham, & Céline Morin. (2015). Political Economy and Cultural Studies: Reconciliation or Divorce? Réseaux, 192(4), 45–65. https://doi.org/10.3917/res.192.0045
Rickman, H. P. (1976). The Positivist Dispute in German Sociology (Book). British Journal of Sociology, 27(4), 509–510. https://doi.org/10.2307/590190
Rosalind Gill, & Andy Pratt. (n.d.). 2008 “In the social factory? Immaterial labour, precariousness and cultural work” Theory, Culture.
Schiller, H. I. (1993). Transnational media: Creating consumers worldwide. Journal of International Affairs, 47(1), 47. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=f5h&AN=9402082494
Sillito, J. R. (1989). A Gramsci Reader: Selected Writings 1916-1935. Library Journal, 114(8), 90.
Классическая политическая экономия : современное марксистское направление: базовый уровень. Продвинутый уровень, Бузгалин, А. В., 2018
Состояние постмодерна : исследование истоков культурных изменений, Харви, Д., 2021

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Armand Mattelart, & Michael Palmer. (1993). Shaping the European Advertising Scene. Commercial free speech in search of legitimacy. Réseaux. The French Journal of Communication, 1(1), 9–26. https://doi.org/10.3406/reso.1993.3268
Garnham, N. (1983). Public Service versus the Market. https://doi.org/10.1093/screen/24.1.6
Ien Ang. (2013). Watching Dallas : Soap Opera and the Melodramatic Imagination. Routledge.
Marcuse, H. (2011). Negations: essays in critical theory. London : MayFlyBooks, 2009.
Nicholas Garnham, & Christian Fuchs. (2014). Revisiting the Political Economy of Communication. https://doi.org/10.31269/triplec.v12i1.553
Patrice Flichy. (2007). Understanding Technological Innovation. Edward Elgar Publishing. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsrep&AN=edsrep.b.elg.eebook.12803
Peter Golding, & Graham Murdock. (2015). Ideology and the Mass Media: The Question of Determination. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.5BD12B07
Schiller, H. I. (1967). Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 23(4), 4. https://doi.org/10.1080/00963402.1967.11455050
Schiller, H. I. (1991). Culture, Inc : The Corporate Takeover of Public Expression. New York: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=169118
Краткая история неолиберализма : актуальное прочтение, Харви, Д., 2007

Магистерская программа «Современные медиаисследования и аналитика/ Contemporary Media Research»

Контакты

Поступление на программу

Critical Political Economy of Media

Course Syllabus