History of the Media Landscape (ENG)

Course goals

At the end of the course you will have:

•    Elementary knowledge of the history of the Western European media landscape from c. 1400 to the present

•    Elementary insight into how different media have developed and continue to develop in mutual interaction

•    Elementary understanding of the different ways in which media have played and continue to play a role in important political, economic, social and cultural processes, particularly in Western Europe

•    Elementary insight into the scope, possibilities, and limitations of a number of theoretical insights and concepts that are often used when studying the role of media in societies

In terms of acquiring academic/professional and methodological skills/competencies, the course focuses on letting you practice with:

•    Studying academic texts independently and effectively, and in particular doing so critically (i.e. close reading)

•    Discussing knowledge and insights from scholarly publications, both orally and in writing

•    Becoming familiar with the interpretation of primary historical sources

•    Planning and carrying out learning activities independently and appropriately

Content

This course offers a basic overview of the development of (mainly) the European and North American media landscape from the late Middle Ages to the present. The course addresses selected topics from the history of print, theater, film, radio, television, and the Internet. In doing so, it devotes special attention to the interrelations between different media.
 
Two questions are central to the course. First, how have various media developed over time? Second, what role have media played in major political, economic, social, and cultural changes that have occurred in societies since the Middle Ages? To answer the second question, we will engage with theoretical insights and concepts, particularly German philosopher Jürgen Habermas' idea of the "public sphere." 

We will not take Habermas' theory at face value. Rather, we will examine it critically, asking whether it requires supplementation or revision along various lines. In this way, the course lays a foundation for subsequent courses on the history of individual media as well as more theoretically oriented courses on contemporary media and their social functions.
 

Additional information

This course is part of Core Profile 1 of the BA Media and Culture in English.

Note: This is the course code to register for a workgroup in English.
Let op: Dit is de cursuscode voor een Engelstalige werkgroep


Priority rules
This course has priority rules and a waiting list. Your enrolment is guaranteed if you
- are a student in the BA Media and Culture and this course is part of your core profile (basispakket)
- are an exchange student and meet the course’s entry requirements
In all other situations, you will be placed on a waiting list if you enrol in this course. For any remaining slots in the course, lots are drawn among the students on the waiting list.

A Maximum of 8 exchange students will be admitted to this course.