Communication Fall 2021 Course Catalog

Comm 118 | Introduction to Interpersonal Communication and Culture MWF | 12:20pm – 1:10pm Gonen Dori-Hacohen 3 credits

In this class, we focus on acquiring a principled understanding of everyday, face-to-face interaction as the process by which we create, maintain, and manage social experience. Students acquire vocabulary and concepts to account for, analyze, and evaluate interpersonal communication in social and cultural context.

Communication majors must complete 3 of the following 5 courses: 118, 121, 122, 125, and 140.

Comm 121 | Introduction to Media and Culture TuTh | 10:00am – 11:15am Jonathan Corpus Ong 3 credits

Media play a central role in politics, economics, culture, and our everyday lives. Our key concern is to understand both the direct and subtle operations of media power in society today: How do media construct meaning? How new technologies transform our most intimate and personal relationships? How do data-driven corporations track and monetize their users often without their consent or political accountability?

This class introduces students to different media studies traditions of medium theory, political economy, representations, and audience studies that examine media as–respectively–technologies, institutions, narratives, and audiences / users.

The class takes an insistently global approach in analyzing the diversity and plurality of media cultures around the world. We also take a normative perspective in evaluating good and bad media practice in the ways that technologies and narratives can on the one hand deepen social inequalities and on the other hand challenge systems of oppression and amplify the voices of vulnerable communities

Communication majors must complete 3 of the following 5 courses: 118, 121, 122, 125, and 140.

Comm 122 | Introduction to Media Industries and Institutions TuTh | 1:00pm – 2:15pm Weiai (Wayne) Xu 3 credits

This course is an introduction to the process of media production, with a special focus on the institutional forces (i.e. market structures, industry practices, law and regulation, citizen activism, and audience dynamics) that shape the content of electronic media. We will consider a variety of historical, technological, economic, cultural, legal, political, and ethical factors that influence the production, distribution, and consumption of media texts in digital environments. We will take a case study approach, using examples of the U.S. television, film, news, and music industries to examine the dynamic interplay between national media systems and global media markets.

Communication majors must complete 3 of the following 5 courses: 118, 121, 122, 125, and 140.

Comm 125 | Introduction to Rhetoric and Performance Studies MW | 2:30pm – 3:45pm Claudio Moreira 3 credits

This course provides an introduction to the major ideas and concepts of rhetorical and performance studies and their contributions to social action. Students will be introduced to the thinkers and movements in rhetoric and performance most significant to how we understand ourselves: the ways we represent and remember our pasts, live our presents (presence), and imagine our futures. Theories of rhetoric and performance will be connected to each other and to our communication practices to examine how theories can be deployed as part of the art of living our lives. Assignments in this course will also connect theory and practice: students will be quizzed on readings to assess knowledge of concepts and theory and will complete out of class assignments that

Please check SPIRE for course eligibility (e.g., “Open to First-Years and Sophomores Only”). require practical applications of concepts/theories to community contexts. Students will also be expected to be able to engage in critical assessment: of the theories and their applications, as well as of their own (students') commitment to the work of education and personal growth.

Communication majors must complete 3 of the following 5 courses: 118, 121, 122, 125, and 140.

Comm 140 | Introduction to Film Studies MW | 2:30pm – 3:45pm Martin Norden + Lab Section: M | 4:00pm – 6:00pm 3 credits

This course offers an introduction to the study of film as a distinct medium. It introduces the ways in which film style, form, and genre contribute to the meaning and the experience of movies. Topics include film as industrial commodity, narrative and non- narrative form, aspects of style (e.g. composition, cinematography, editing, and sound), and the role of film as a cultural practice. Examples are drawn from new and classic films, from Hollywood and from around the world. This course is intended to serve as a basis for film studies courses you might take in the future.

Communication majors must complete 3 of the following 5 courses: 118, 121, 122, 125, and 140.

Comm 140 | Introduction to Film Studies (RAP) MW | 2:30pm – 3:45pm Yijun Sun + Lab Section: M | 4:00pm – 6:00pm 3 credits

Communication majors must complete 3 of the following 5 courses: 118, 121, 122, 125, and 140. The Communication Majors RAP is a program for students who are motivated to connect with other Communication majors. Students will enroll together in "Introduction to Film Studies" (COMM 140). What is the power and role of cinema in our culture? In this course, we will watch and critically analyze different categories of movies. Together, we will learn cinema terminology, the role of film studies in different areas of communication, and how this unique medium contributes to our understanding of culture and society.

See umass.edu/rap/communication-majors

Comm 191 | First Year Seminar Various Times Instructors TBD, 8 sections 1 credit

This is a graded introduction to the Communication major, designed to welcome advanced transfer students (Junior status) into the program and address some of their specific needs. This course recognizes and respects that you are familiar with college; the objective is to help you become more familiar with UMass as seamlessly and efficiently as possible so you can feel less like a transfer student and be prepared to be a UMass Communication student. Through class discussions and applied projects, this course will introduce you to the major's subject areas, the college and university's expectations, the field of Communication, and the opportunities in and around campus, including Honors, Internships, Community Service, Study Abroad, and Campus Media.

For questions about this class during registration, before this class starts, you can contact Course Director Professor Benjamin Bailey ([email protected]).

Comm 197T | Advanced Transfer Student Workshop MW | 12:20pm – 1:10pm (thru Oct 25) Marianne Neal-Joyce 1 credit

Please check SPIRE for course eligibility (e.g., “Open to First-Years and Sophomores Only”). student and be prepared to be a UMass Communication student. Through class discussions and applied projects, this course will introduce you to the major's subject areas, the college and university's expectations, the field of Communication, and the opportunities in and around campus, including Honors, Internships, Community Service, Study Abroad, and Campus Media.

This course will meet twice a week for the first six weeks of the fall semester. The last day of classes will be Monday, October 25.

Comm 212 | Cultural Codes in Communication MW | 11:15am – 12:05pm Benjamin Bailey + Discussion Section 4 credits Gen Ed: SB and DU

In this course we explore ways in which communication and culture are intertwined, focusing on cultural and social variability in patterns of perception, interaction, and meaning making. Topical foci include implications of subjectivity for communication; types of meaning in language and interaction; cultural and ritual organization of talk; language socialization; interethnic and intercultural communication; and gender and interaction.

Comm 226 | Social Impact of Mass Media MWF | 11:15am – 12:05pm Section 1: Instructor TBD MWF | 10:10am – 11:00am Section 2: Instructor TBD 3 credits

This course explores the influence of the mass media on the social world, particularly the media's impact on audiences. We will investigate various approaches utilized to determine if, when, and how media influence viewers, listeners, and readers. We will examine this issue from both scientific and cultural studies perspectives. Some of the questions we will consider include: How does television violence impact society and individuals? Can watching sex on television and film lead to teenage promiscuity? Are political advertisements and news coverage creating a more or less informed voter? How do people make sense of the media in their lives? The focus of this course is to understand how these questions are studied and what, if any, conclusions can be drawn from such research.

COMM 121 is highly recommended before taking this course. For questions about this class during registration, before this class starts, you can contact Course Director Professor Soo Young Bae ([email protected]).

Comm 231 | Film and Television Production Concepts TuTh | 11:30am – 12:45pm Kevin Anderson 3 credits

This class provides an overview of film and television production principles and processes from script to screen and also prepares students for later hands-on production courses. We will explore both the art and craft of film and digital motion picture production, including the roles and functions of the major creative and technical personnel in the scripting, pre-production, production, and post-production phases. Technical aspects such as digital vs. analog media, lighting and color, cinematography, production design, editing concepts, sound recording, and storytelling and script-writing will be covered. In addition, students are given three options for producing a creative project for the course.

Comm 250 | Interpersonal Communication [FOR NON-MAJORS ONLY!] Section 1: Instructor TBD MWF | 11:15am – 12:05pm Section 2: Instructor TBD MWF | 1:25pm – 2:15pm 4 credits Gen Ed: SB

Students who are planning to join the Communication major should not take this course, but instead should register for Comm 118.

Please check SPIRE for course eligibility (e.g., “Open to First-Years and Sophomores Only”). Comm 260 | Public Speaking MWF | Various Times Instructors TBD , 5 sections 3 credits

This course blends theory and practice in exploring public speaking. The theory of speech composition, presentation, and evaluation is discussed in relation to public discourse, civic engagement, and the ethics of persuasion. Students also practice and develop their own skills by giving several formal and impromptu speeches. Requirements include frequent in-class speaking assignments and related practices, including written analyses of speeches.

For questions about this class during registration, before this class starts, you can contact Course Director Professor Kimberlee Pérez ([email protected]).

Comm 271 | Humor in Society MW | 4:00pm – 5:15pm Stephen Olbrys Gencarella Gen Ed: SB 4 credits

This course examines humor as a significant form of creative expression in social and political life. In recent decades, scholars of all persuasions from the humanities, social sciences, and even hard sciences have examined this subject through a critical lens, leading to the development of an interdisciplinary field known as humor studies. This course provides an introduction to that burgeoning field. Topics will include different theories of humor, the relationship between humor and play, the differences between humor and comedy, the use of humor in the redress of political and social tensions, the importance of the body in humor, and the role of humor in maintaining identity, especially in the negotiation of race, gender, class, ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation.

Comm 289 | Media, PR, and Propaganda MW | 2:30pm – 4:30pm Sut Jhally 4 credits

This course looks at how the industries of media and public relations have been used as instruments of social control and propaganda by economic and political elites. Examined will be the following: the historical roots of the public relations industry in government propaganda efforts; the contemporary influence of the public relations industry on public debate of social issues; the role of public relations in distorting discussion of the military/industrial complex; the effects of structuring media systems around the needs of advertisers; the role of media and public relations in how the public understands both domestic and international issues (such as war).

Comm 296F | Film Festival Colloquium M | 7:00pm – 10:00pm Anne Ciecko 1 credit

This is a 1-credit colloquium course that can only be taken Pass/Fail. In Fall 2021, Comm 296F is held in conjunction with a curated semester-long program of virtual events, with digital screenings, conversations with guest makers, mediated performances, and more, focusing especially on global digital storytelling and the theme of "home." To earn 1 credit, students are required to attend at least 7 of the synchronous festival events on Wednesday events, to complete surveys after each event, and to complete a retrospective survey at the end of the semester. In the likely Zoomcast format, students will have the opportunity to interact with guests via interactive Q&A and submit their completed surveys via Moodle. Some additional asynchronous opportunities for students to experience films/videos/audiovisual materials, participate in Moodle forums, and submit creative work for curatorial consideration, may also be included as part of the semester-long festival.

Comm 296F is open to all undergraduate students, all majors. Since the festival screenings change each semester, Comm 296F can be taken multiple times.

Please check SPIRE for course eligibility (e.g., “Open to First-Years and Sophomores Only”). Comm 297FA | Spirit and Stories: The Folklore of Alcohol MW | 2:30pm – 3:45pm Stephen Olbrys Gencarella 3 credits

This course examines the vast store of folklore inspired by and directed at alcohol and its cultural reach. Folklore means traditional expressive practices ranging from the verbal arts (such as stories and songs) to material culture (such as crafts and medicine) to customary activities (such as rituals and beliefs). The range of folklore herein is both global and ancient; that is, it concerns the entire history of alcohol, which in effect necessitates attention to the entire history of humanity in a global perspective. Specific lectures will address cultural differences concerning alcohol in the negotiation of race, ethnicity, class, nationhood, religion, gender, and political identity.

Comm 297FS | Introduction to Fashion Studies TuTh | 10:00am – 11:15am Anne Ciecko 3 credits

This introductory course offers an overview of the fundamentals of interdisciplinary fashion studies with an emphasis on cultural, professional, and interpersonal dimensions of fashion artistry, mediations, images, and styles. Integrating a consideration of the history of fashion as a global phenomenon, we will explore key concepts and terminology; designers and brands; industry trends and consumer behavior; personal style and individual identity; communities and subcultures; body image and psychology of fashion; fashion media and technology; and fashion institutions and related policies. Course materials and activities will include an array of readings and videos, mediated presentations and discussions, short written responses, basic and applied research, hands-on exercises and creative projects.

Comm 297P | Career Workshop W | 2:15pm – 4:00pm Nicola Mare Usher 1 credit

This course prepares you for professional entry to into a variety of fields connected to the study of Communication. This course will review and practice practical and theoretical career and professional planning. This course has two, interconnected goals: 1) Personal, professional development and 2) Understanding of career options connected to the study of Communication.

Comm 310 | Social Influence and Persuasion TuTh | 2:30pm – 3:45pm Soo Young Bae 3 credits

This course examines theories and key research findings in the field of persuasion and social influence through the lens of communication. We will examine theories in social psychology to understand the underlying process of persuasion and apply this knowledge to explain how attitudes and behaviors are spread through interpersonal and mass communication.

Comm 325H | Race, Media, and Politics (Honors) TuTh | 4:00pm – 5:15pm Seth Goldman Gen Ed: HS and DU 4 credits

This course examines the changing role of "race" in American politics and society, focusing in particular on change over time in public opinion, media portrayals, and campaigns and elections. As we investigate these themes, we will analyze the impact of political communication on race relations, and evaluate strategies that could help to improve interracial relations in society.

Comm 331 | Program Process in Television W | 10:10am – 11:00am Jason May + Lab Section 3 credits

This course introduces concepts and techniques of television production through weekly lectures and lab meetings. Basic field camera concepts and techniques, as well as other video production information, are introduced in the lecture. Students will break up into lab groups where, under the supervision of their lab instructor, they produce a short program that puts the concept of the week to work. During the rest of the course, students work on two major projects: first, a short, narrative piece shot in single- camera, post-production style; and, second, a multiple camera piece shot live in the studio.

Please check SPIRE for course eligibility (e.g., “Open to First-Years and Sophomores Only”).

During the first six weeks basic concepts and techniques are introduced in lecture. Students then break up into lab groups where, under the supervision of their lab instructor, they produce a short program which puts the concept of the week to work.

Journalism Majors and Film Certificate Students by permission of the instructor, [email protected].

Please note: depending on the plans to return to campus in the fall, this class might not run as planned. Questions should be emailed to Allison Butler ([email protected]). Allison Butler will reach out with more information and updates over the summer.

Comm 335 | Media and Education TuTh | 10:00am – 11:15am Allison Butler 4 credits

We live in a nation that marks education as a sign of, and route to, success. This course provides an overview of the American education system, its structure and how it is represented in and by the mainstream media. We will address the following questions: What is the purpose of education? Education is often constructed as "the solution;" what is potentially solved through education? How do we understand and make sense of education including, but not limited to, public, private, homeschool, and higher education? What message of education is constructed by the mainstream media? How do current events around education shape our understanding of our own communities as well as the larger world? Through analysis of classic educational philosophies, through contemporary work, we explore the complex reality of formal and informal schooling, teaching, and learning, with a focus on how this is depicted by the media. This course has a required civic engagement component where students will work with and on behalf of young people in the community and across Massachusetts.

Comm 338 | Children, Teens, and Media TuTh | 11:30am – 12:45am Erica Scharrer 4 credits

In this seminar, we will explore the role of media (television, Internet, video games, mobile media, film, etc.) in shaping the lives of children and teens. We will consider how much time children devote to various media, what they think about what they encounter through media, and the implications of media for children’s lives. We will draw on social science research to examine a wide range of topics, including: depictions of race, class, gender, and sexuality in ads, programming, and other media forms; the role of media in the development of adolescent identity; media uses and effects in the realms of educational TV and apps, advertising and consumer culture, violence, and sex; and the possibilities of media literacy, parental rules and dialogue, and public policies to shape children’s interactions with media.

Comm 339 | Media and Public Policy TuTh | 1:00pm – 2:15pm Martha Fuentes-Bautista 3 credits

This course provides students with media policy literacy and critical knowledge on evolving debates on media and technology policy in the United States, and its implication for democracy and the development of media systems. We will examine laws, policies and regulations affecting legacy and digital media, including universal service, net neutrality, free speech, access to information, advertising, online privacy, data protection and intellectual property. Students are introduced to practices of public interest advocacy and media technology policy-making, identifying stakeholders and vested interests in this process.

By the successful completion of this course, students will be able to: Explain how media law and media policy are constituted, and analyze substantive issues on the contemporary media and technology policy agenda in the U.S.; Understand the socio-political relations and political-economic context that surround key media policy debates; Recognize how different forms of regulation shape media institutions, identifying the tensions between commercialism and different public interest goals; Understand rights and responsibilities of users/ consumers/ producers of media messages; Develop understanding and skills on different genres of policy writing and communication. Prerequisites: COMM 122 or 222

This course will be cross-listed with SPP. Students who do not meet the prerequisites may seek permission of the instructor to enroll ([email protected]).

Please check SPIRE for course eligibility (e.g., “Open to First-Years and Sophomores Only”). Comm 340 | History of Film I MW | 11:15am – 12:05pm Shawn Shimpach + Lab Section: W | 12:20pm – 2:15pm 3 credits

A survey of key events and representative films that mark the history of motion pictures in the United States and other countries to 1950. In addition to identifying and providing access to major works, the course is designed to facilitate the study of the various influences (industrial, technological, aesthetic, social, cultural, and political) that have shaped the evolution of the medium to the advent of television.

Comm 375 | Writing as Communication MWF | Various Times Instructors TBD, 8 sections Junior Year Writing 3 credits

Exploration of the types of writing associated with the discipline of communication. Development and improvement of the student's writing, research, and critical thinking skills.

For questions about this class during registration, before class starts, you can contact Course Director Associate Professor Stephen Gencarella ([email protected]).

Comm 394PI | Peer Advising and Leadership Seminar W | 9:05am – 11:00am Allison Butler Integrative Experience 3 credits

Open only to students who formally applied and were accepted as peer advisors. This course draws together theory and research from the discipline of Communication, skills and interdisciplinary understandings developed through students' various general education courses, and their own insights as students, emerging leaders, and collaborators in the Peer Advising Program. The seminar and its related activities are designed to serve two complementary goals: 1) honing students' skills and expanding their understandings of the connections between a whole student approach and undergraduates’ academic success, and 2) building leadership competence and sensibilities that will extend well beyond the context of advising, preparing students to become insightful, skilled, and ethical leaders in a complex social world. We will examine modes of communication (including one-to-one communication, small group facilitation, social media use, and public speaking), identities (including race, culture, sexuality, gender, and social class), and late adolescent/adult development (including transitions into and out of college, shifting priorities across the lifespan, and the weave of cognitive, social, and emotional development). This is a service-learning course designed to scaffold students' development as visionary professionals and engaged citizens able to analyze individual, group, organizational, and societal phenomena in nuanced and socially responsible ways. Satisfies the Integrative Experience requirement for BA-Comm majors.

Open to Senior and Junior Communication majors who have been accepted to the Peer Advising program.

Comm 397AV | Intercultural Communication TuTh | 1:00pm – 2:15pm Alena Vasilyeva 3 credits

This course examines how language and culture (broadly defined) are implicated in our everyday communication. We will investigate how preconceived beliefs, taken for granted cultural norms, and the language we speak shape how we experience the world and thus shape our "reality." We will examine how a person communicatively accomplishes cultural identities as well as implications of divergent communicative norms and practices for interacting across cultural boundaries.

Comm 397B | Introduction to Studio Directing Th | 10:00am – 2:00pm Jason May 3 credits

Students will learn basic concepts and techniques of studio television production, with a focus on directing program segments in a full-scale studio facility on the UMASS campus. The course focuses on the production of two series, a mini-series in the concept of digital consumption, and a collective effort on a long show format. Each student will create and direct one episode of the digital series, as well as the long show. Some post-production editing and field camera work will be involved.

Journalism Majors and Film Certificate students by permission of the instructor, [email protected].

Please check SPIRE for course eligibility (e.g., “Open to First-Years and Sophomores Only”). Please note: depending on the plans to return to campus in the fall, this class might not run as planned. Questions should be emailed to Allison Butler ([email protected]). Allison Butler will reach out with more information and updates over the summer.

Comm 397EC | Empowering Communities through Civic Engagement Mari Castañeda, Joseph Krupczynski 3 credits

UMass Faculty Taught: Race, Communities, and Social Justice in Ecuador. This course will include travel to Quito, Ecuador in January 2022. https://tinyurl.com/studyabroadEcuador

This course will include a civic engagement project while abroad and will count for the CESL certificate and an honors colloquium. Instructor consent required. Dean Castañeda can be contacted by email ([email protected]).

Comm 397SC | Sidewalks and Screens TuTh | 2:30pm – 3:45pm Burcu Baykurt 3 credits

Starting from debates over digital media and publicity/public participation in the city, this class examines the ways media technologies shape, and are shaped by, the built environment. Drawing on historical and ethnographic case studies, it will focus on the city as media, symbols as well as embodiments of particular ideas and values, and the impact that media technologies have had on how people experience urban life. In addition to reading responses and a midterm paper, students will complete a research project that ethnographically analyzes an urban institution, issue, or a movement of their choice.

Comm 397TV | Studio Operations, Production Design Tu | 2:55pm – 7:00pm Jason May 3 credits

This course explores the links between technical operations, creative production design, and actual production in the live, multiple- camera HD studio environment. Though loaded with technology, the television studio is, from the first instance through the last, a creative environment with tools aimed at production of meaningful content. This six-week course will explore the studio environment, microphone types, video formats, non-linear editing, and the growing push for digital solutions for studios. Students will have three options for a final project submission.

Comm 414 | Studying Everyday Talk MW | 2:30pm – 3:45pm Benjamin Bailey Integrative Experience 4 credits

This course combines reading and discussion with application of theoretically informed methods in the study of everyday social interaction. We will: 1) Read and discuss representative studies of social interaction and communicative behavior in cultural context. 2) Do graduated classroom and field exercises to assemble methodological tools and accumulate data for your final paper. The final paper will be based on accumulated data observations, transcripts, and interviews and analyses from your field site/activity. Prerequisites: COMM 118 or 212

Comm 441 | Principles and Techniques of Film Style Production Tu | 2:30pm – 6:30pm Kevin Anderson 3 credits

A hands-on introduction to single-camera filmmaking using digital video camcorders and non-linear editing. Production assignments will foster student skills in the art of visual storytelling: from pre-production, shot composition and lighting to continuity editing and post production audio. Prerequisites: COMM 231 and 331

Students who do not meet the prerequisites may seek permission of the instructor to enroll ([email protected]).

Please check SPIRE for course eligibility (e.g., “Open to First-Years and Sophomores Only”).

Comm 444 | Film Styles and Genres M | 1:25pm – 2:15pm Shawn Shimpach + Lab Section: M | 2:30pm – 5:15pm 3 credits

Why do we put certain films into categories? What constitutes a film genre, how do we recognize it, and what do we do with it? This course examines these questions and more by considering a specific genre over the course of the semester. We will learn to think of genre as a way of comparing and contrasting different films. Genre will also be thought of as a way of creating expectations and measuring experience and meaning. The power of film genre is that it allows us to understand film as a text and film as a social practice at the very same time. Prerequisites: COMM 140, 240 or 340

Comm 445 | Screenwriting TuTh | 11:30am – 12:45pm Bruce Geisler 3 credits

An examination of the art, craft, and business of screenwriting from theoretical and practical perspectives. Topics include screenplay format and structure, story, plot and character development, dialog and scene description, visual storytelling, pace and rhythm, analysis of professional and student scripts and films.

Comm 446 | Film Documentary Tu | 2:30pm – 4:30pm Bruce Geisler + Lab Section: Tu | 4:45pm – 5:35pm 3 credits

We will view, analyze, and discuss films by modern documentary masters such as Michael Moore ("Sicko"), Chris Paine, ("Revenge of the Electric Car"), Seth Gordon ("The King of Kong - A fistful of Quarters"), Pamela Yates ("Granito") and many others to further the understanding of the documentary craft and art from a filmmaker's perspective. Students will also do preproduction (research and treatment) for their own short documentary, along with shorter hands-on exercises in writing narration, interview techniques, etc. Prerequisites: Any of the following courses: COMM 140, 231, 340, 342 or 445

Students who do not meet the eligibility may seek permission of the instructor to enroll ([email protected]).

Comm 491S | Introduction to Semiotics TuTh | 4:00pm – 5:15pm Briankle Chang 3 credits

Semiotics is the study of meaning within society. It deepens our understanding of culture, communication and philosophy, and provides us with a theoretical and practical framework for analyzing the world. The course will introduce and develop the semiotic approach, using literature, politics, film, TV, music, and our everyday surroundings and conversations.

Comm 492M | Media Solidarities in the Age of Global Crisis TuTh | 2:30pm – 3:45pm Jonathan Corpus Ong 3 credits

We live in an age of ongoing global protest, growing authoritarianism, and permanent conflict and crisis in both advanced liberal democracies in the West and fragile states in the global South. This class reflects on the normative ideals that media institutions, producers and users should uphold to foster ethical relationships of responsibility and hospitality toward marginalized communities. Applying normative media theory (Chouliaraki, Peters, Silverstone, etc.) to case studies of war reporting, development agency fundraising campaigns, and humanitarian technologies in disaster zones, we consider the emerging, fleeting, and ever-changing forms of global solidarities in mediated environments.

Please check SPIRE for course eligibility (e.g., “Open to First-Years and Sophomores Only”). Comm 493L | Experimental Film and Video Th | 2:30pm – 5:30pm Kevin Anderson 3 credits

This course explores the genre of Experimental Film and Video with a critical eye toward the history and current articulations of this form of production in both feature film and short form movies; videos. The course begins with an introduction to the genre, then explores Experimental Film; Video according to three different categories: Experimentation with Narrative, Experimentation with Structure; Form, and Experimentation with the line between Fact and Fiction. Students will emerge from this course with a solid foundation in the history and theory of experimental film; video as evidenced by writing projects, research papers, and student- produced experimental media projects.

Comm 494BI | Countercultural Films W | 2:30pm – 4:30pm Bruce Geisler + Discussion Section: W | 4:45pm – 5:45pm 3 credits Integrative Experience

An exploration of the counter-cultural movements of the 1960s and 70s and later, hosted by someone who was there and lived to tell the tale. Through the medium of documentary and fiction films, we will delve into the musical, sexual, artistic, political and spiritual upheavals that rocked America and Europe back then and that continue to reverberate today.

Students who do not meet the eligibility may seek permission of the instructor to enroll ([email protected]).

Comm 494CI | Communication, Ecology, and Sustainability TuTh | 2:30pm – 3:45pm Henry Geddes Integrative Experience 3 credits

As forms of communication contribute to the growing integration of the planet, the planet itself is threatened by unprecedented environmental and economic crises. This course will examine the way ecology and sustainability are mediated by communication technologies, institutions and texts. It considers insights drawn from fields like Anthropology, Geography, Biology, Physics, and Spirituality in order to develop an interdisciplinary approach to the social construction of nature and conflicts over nature and ecology. We will apply key concepts to real world situations through reflection assignments, in class discussion, presentations, an exam, and a research project.

Comm 494KI | News and Public Opinion TuTh | 1:00pm – 2:15pm Soo Young Bae Integrative Experience 3 credits

This course is designed to offer a framework for understanding the processes involved in news production and its impact on public opinion. We will examine various social forces that shape news content, including individual, political, economic, and institutional factors. We will also examine research and theory on the implications of today's new media environment, with a focus on its relationship with citizens' engagement in public life.

Comm 494MI | Music, Culture, and Communication TuTh | 10:00am – 11:15am Henry Geddes Integrative Experience 3 credits

This course takes the view that our experience of music is mediated by biology, society and culture. As such it tells us a lot about who we are in relation to our cultural and physical environment. Like other forms of communication, music can be studied in terms of its texts, institutions, and audiences. Unlike other forms of communication, music is best understood from an interdisciplinary perspective that deals with the physics of sound, human biology, and musicology. In addition to asking the question, "What does the music mean?" I urge you to ask: What is the chain of biological, physical, social, and cultural events that render music meaningful and popular? What sorts of networks and emotional affiliations make musical performance/ consumption possible, whether it be a concert, film, public transport, shopping mall, Walkman, funeral, file sharing, etc.? How do the modes of listening vary across these fields? How do boundaries shift with the globalization of music, especially with the advent of digital distribution on the Internet?

Comm 494NI | Nonverbal Communication TuTh | 10:00am – 11:15am Alena Vasilyeva Integrative Experience 3 credits Please check SPIRE for course eligibility (e.g., “Open to First-Years and Sophomores Only”).

This course examines the role of different kinds of nonverbal behaviors (i.e., body orientation and posture, gaze direction, gestures, space, etc.) in establishing a joint focus of attention, coordinating turn-taking, conveying meaning, sustaining institutional realities, telling stories, and navigating interpersonal relationships. We will investigate nonverbal behaviors both in ordinary face-to-face conversations and in a variety of professional settings, including courtrooms, doctors’ offices, and the workplace.

It is highly recommended that students have taken COMM 118.

Comm 494XI | Media and Prejudice TuTh | 11:30am – 12:45pm Seth Goldman Integrative Experience 4 credits

The way social groups are portrayed in the media is widely assumed to have consequences for levels of prejudice and stereotyping in the mass public. Moreover, the vast majority of speculations assume negative consequences, that is, exposure causing increases in levels of stereotyping and prejudice. We will critically evaluate both assumptions, with a particular emphasis on furthering understanding about the psychological processes through which media exposure may not only increase but also decrease stereotyping and prejudice. In sum, this course has two goals: 1) to understand how existing media portrayals impact group attitudes as well as 2) to formulate strategies for changing media portrayals to promote more positive intergroup relations.

Comm 497GP | Internet Governance and Information Policy Th | 4:00pm – 6:30pm Martha Fuentes-Bautista 3 credits

This class introduces students to actors, institutions and public interest battles fought nationally, regionally and globally for the control of the Internet. It considers the interaction between law and policy, technological design, industry, organized civil society and social movements in shaping infrastructure, code and content of the global web. Topics covered in the course include history of the Internet; evolution of the Internet’s technical architecture; digital inequalities worldwide; freedom of expression and intellectual property; surveillance, privacy and cybersecurity; data protection and social media governance in the era of datafication. Readings and online discussions with research partners, policy advocates and experts will expose students to diverse perspectives and first- hand information on these debates.

Students who do not meet the eligibility may seek permission of the instructor to enroll ([email protected]).

Comm 497MT | Media, Technology, and Culture TuTh | 1:00pm – 2:15pm Briankle Chang 3 credits

This course examines how media technologies shape the way we communicate and how the way we communicate in turn shapes the development of media technologies as evolving cultural practices. We will read technologies not as machines or tools invented to perform preconceived functions, but as forms of tech, understood as way of making things. So, in this course, we will try to understand how media users cause media to improve their efficiency as much as how media users themselves are changed as they continue to communicate.

Comm 497SL |Social Life of Algorithms TuTh | 11:30am – 12:45pm Burcu Baykurt 3 credits

Algorithmic systems are at the center of today's digital world, and mediate communication processes in areas as diverse as social media, journalism, healthcare, and governments. How do algorithmic systems capture, represent, and transmit information about everyday interactions? How do they shape, and are shaped by, social, cultural, and political life? What kind of new issues and concerns arise from their ubiquitous use? This course provides a critical introduction to algorithmic systems, and how they relate to issues of communication, power and inequalities in society. In addition to reading responses and a midterm essay, students will complete a research project on an algorithmic system of their choice to unpack how they are constructed and used in everyday life.

Please check SPIRE for course eligibility (e.g., “Open to First-Years and Sophomores Only”). Comm 499CL | Food and/as Communication (Honors) TuTh | 2:30pm – 3:45pm Leda Cooks 3 credits

This is the first of two semesters in an honors thesis seminar. This course focuses on the ways we create and reflect meanings made about food. The seminar delves into the material and social meanings of food and implications for identity, culture and social justice. Students will have the opportunity to research food in the context of the meanings made about it in various institutions, businesses, nonprofit organizations, neighborhoods, cultures and communities. The first semester of 499 CL (Fall 2021) of the honors thesis seminar will 1) introduce students to food as a vehicle through which society and social life is communicated; 2) introduce methods and tools for conducting survey based and qualitative community-based research and 3) introduce potential projects for student theses. Each student will develop a proposal to conduct a research project based on their interests, abilities and relevance to community needs.

Instructor consent required. Professor Cooks can be contacted by email ([email protected]).

Please check SPIRE for course eligibility (e.g., “Open to First-Years and Sophomores Only”).