EST 645 Mass Media and Environmental Affairs

About the Course

This course is an exploration of the role of the mass media, especially the news media, in environmental affairs. It introduces students to both a critical sociological perspective on the media and research on media and the environment. It does this by considering the relationships between the media industry, media messages, and the audiences for media texts. Specifically, the course includes material on the history of media coverage of environmental issues, environmental interest group politics and the media, the media's construction of nature and environmental problems, and the impact of environmental media coverage on audiences and policy-makers. A number of specific cases of media coverage of environmental issues and action are included. In particular, seminars at the end of term will focus on the media's role in such discourses as those around global warming, biotechnology, environmental activism, toxic waste sites, species extinction, etc., with the specific choices depending on student interests.

Who Should Take the Course?

This is a graduate level course with no prerequisites. I am open to having undergraduate seniors who have completed EST 393 petition to take this course. In either case, the course will be of interest to those concerned with both environmental communication and environmental policy, as well as environmental activism and politics.

Details

• 3 credits
• Fall semester
• Mondays 12:45-3:35pm
• Check the Registrar's timetable to be sure
• Enrollment is approximately 20 students

Syllabus

For more details, download the latest syllabus in PDF format. Future iterations of the course will undoubtedly differ somewhat from what's in this syllabus. Therefore, it is important for prospective students to consult with me before buying books based on a previous syllabus.

"The mass media become the authority at any given moment for what is true and what is false, what is reality and what is fantasy, what is important and what is trivial. There is no greater force in shaping the public mind..."
- Ben Bagdikian