COM 146 - Gender, Sexuality and Media

Credits: 3
Lecture Hours: 3
Lab Hours: 0
Practicum Hours: 0
Work Experience: 0
Course Type: Core

This course explores the ways mass media help form, reproduce and challenge our understandings of gender and sexuality. Students will be intruduced to various theories and approaches to media and how and why certain stereotypes of gender and sexuality dominate across many formats. This course will increase students’ media literacy and understanding of the lack of diversity in stereotypical images of gender and sexuality, as well as investigate ways in which media has potential for social change in these areas. Students may not receive course credit for both COM 146 and JOU 113.
Competencies

Analyze resources and methods needed to critically evaluate the mass media.
1. Outline mass communication research
2. Summarize mass communication theory
Examine theories of social constructions of gender
1. Identify components of the constructions of both masculinity and femininity
2. Assess common assumptions of gender as a marker of identity.
3. Analyze media portrayals and reinforcements of stereotypical representations of gender roles.
Compare theories of the social construction of sexualities
1. Analyze media portrayals and reinforcements of stereotypical representations of sexualities
2. Assess common assumptions of sexuality as a marker of identity.
3. Identify basic differences between heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality and other categorizations
Analyze the relationships between gender, sexuality, and other categories of social difference in media representations.
Evaluate various media formats targeted to specific genders and/or sexuality groups.
1. Identify specific types of media forms or genres that are targeted to a specific gender/sexuality category
2. Characterize ways in which targeted media reinforce or challenge stereotypes to their presumed audiences
Predict alternatives and futures of representations of gender and sexuality in media.
1. Identify alternative media voices and creators that challenge common portrayals and constructions of gender and sexuality
2. Assess active campaigns against the perpetuation of media stereotypes
Evaluate the impact and effects of mass communication on audiences and on modern society.
1. Conduct an evaluation of a representation of gender and sexuality in contemporary U.S. media
2. Question ethical obligations and responsibilities of media to diversify its images, particularly in areas of gender and sexuality
3. Examine the role of media industry and markets in shaping constructions of gender and sexuality in contemporary media.
4. Discover a sense of social responsibility as a media consumer