Race, Culture and the Media (881P4)

30 credits, Level 7 (Masters)

Spring teaching

This module explores the intersection of race, culture and analogue/digital media.

It begins by looking at the origins of these debates and introduces how their transformation can be approached through discourse and performance.

It then moves to explore key theoretical lenses through which this module’s topic can be engaged, including a discussion of:

• whiteness
• class
• gender
• post-colonialism

Following this conceptual grounding, the course explores a number of contemporary debates that highlight different transformations of race, culture and the media.

These include explorations of the War on Terror, drone warfare, urban multiculture (sound systems, pirate radio and YouTube music videos), #blacklivesmatter, and debates on post-race. Through these means the module complements the School’s offerings in the areas of media, digital media, culture and social change in addition to complementing Global Studies options.

Subjects may include:

• origins and transformations: race, culture and media
• whiteness
• race and class
• race, gender and difference  
• post-colonialism and orientalism
• the War on Terror: Twin Towers to Jihadi John
• drone warfare
• urban multiculture: from analogue to digital
• #blacklivesmatters
• post-race and rehumanistion

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 300 hours of work. This breaks down into about 22 hours of contact time and about 278 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.