Question: What are the comparative advantages or disadvantages of a political economy approach and a cultural studies approach to the study of contemporary media?

10 Jan 2024,5:36 PM

 

1) an essay which explores the intellectual agendas within the field of media and cultural studies in relation to a particular debate.

For example, you might look at a range of positions in relation to a particular issue (e.g. the inter-relationship of changing media technologies on political practice), and ask what kinds of questions have driven different academics to involve themselves in public debates at different times (and with what effect)? And to ask what kinds of research methods have been deployed to find answers, and how persuasive those findings have been.

Q1a: What are the comparative advantages or disadvantages of a political economy approach and a cultural studies approach to the study of contemporary media? Centre your answer on a particular media example.

Q1b: With reference to two contrasting examples*, how have the media been involved in the construction of national identity? (*you could choose two different nation states, or you could take, for example, different historical moments, or the role of different media technologies in a single national context).

Q1c: Critically review the debates about oppositional or alternative public spheres OR critically engage with the idea of the "post-public sphere". Make sure you refer to concrete examples.

Q1d: With reference to a particular field of your choice (eg. politics, music, sport etc), critically review the debates about either a) mediatization or b) cultural globalization.

Q1e: In what senses are the media 'environmental participants'? (Maxwell & Miller, 2012)

Q1f: "A postcolonial interruption questions and “provincializes” (Chakrabarty, 2000) the unmarked (North Atlantic) histories and temporalities through which we engage and understand media and brings to the fore other temporalities of thinking media (Shome, 2019, p.307)." Discuss.

2) an essay which evaluates the usefulness of a particular concept (or the work of a particular theorist) that we have encountered so far.

For example, you might look at Habermas’ category of the ‘public sphere’ or Adorno and Horkheimer’s culture industry essay and see how productively, and with what limitations, they might feed into current approaches to the media.

Q2a: What insights, if any, can Adorno and Horkheimer’s “Culture Industry” essay offer to an analysis of the digital age?

Q2b: With reference to specific examples, discuss the role that either media entertainment or journalism plays in terms of the democratic functioning of a public sphere.

Q2c: To what extent is the communications system bound up in the constitution of citizenship? (You may want to contextualise your answer with reference to a particular country or period)

Q2d: Discuss Habermas' contention that there has been a regrettable shift from a culture-debating society to a culture-consuming society.

Q2e: How convinced are you by Mark Deuze’s argument about how we (in developed countries) no longer live ‘with’ media but ‘in’ media?

Q2f: Critically evaluate ONE of the following terms: 'algorithmic culture'; 'datafied society'; 'platform capitalism'.

Q2g: What is at stake in the so-called 'infrastructural turn' in the study of the media? 

 

3) an essay which evaluates an example of research done in the field of media studies

This might be an essay, for example, coming out of a review of the methodologies and claims around reception theory or ethnographies of media use in everyday life

Q3a: What is at stake in terms of research design in choosing one of these terms over another: audience or public; readers or viewers or listeners; consumers or users?

Q3b: What kind of ‘impact’ of the media, if any, is it possible to investigate by empirical research?

Q3c: What insights have the 'new materialisms' brought to media theory?

 

4) an essay which asks questions about a particular media form.

This kind of essay might set out to take a particular media form or media institution as its object of study, placing it within the circuit of culture or circuit of capital, or within the debates about globalisation or cultural imperialism, for example. You might think about this type of essay as taking the form of a Research Proposal or pilot scheme, concentrating on setting out and justifying a research question, appropriate methodologies, and identifying potential resources and materials, rather than at this stage attempting to complete a full-scale research project.

Q4a: With reference to a moment of technological transition of your choice,  explore the characteristics and consequences of the privatized reception of mediated publicness.

Q4b: Media were always social before social media. Discuss.

Q4c: In 2014 Wired magazine  ran a headline on its cover, ‘The Web is Dead’. Were they right?

Q4d: Should social media be publicly owned?

Q4e: Critically evaluate the arguments for and against the establishment of GB News, a new 'opinion-led' news channel in the UK.

 

5) an essay which draws on a particular interest or involvement in the media, and explores how that has been or might be addressed via one or more of the approaches encountered on the module so far.

It isn't easy to give an example of this, since your backgrounds and interests are clearly very diverse, but it might be that one of you has worked in a particular branch of the media, or a related area, and wants to think how that has been or might be studied from the critical standpoints we have been exploring. 

Q5a Reflecting on your own media use during lockdown(s), what has this period revealed about mediated communication and connection in the modern world?

In short: Clearly some essays engage directly with some of the theoretical or methodological approaches raised by the module (in other words, the conceptual frameworks are themselves the object of study, perhaps illuminated by references to contemporary media issues), while others use those approaches as tools for analysing particular events, genres, institutions or processes (in other words, the media issues are the objects of study, illuminated by the conceptual frameworks). Both types of essay are appropriate, as long as you reflect critically on the methodology and conceptual approach that you deploy.

 

One thing to bear in mind with whatever you choose to write about is that you should avoid too great a degree of overlap with your other term papers or eventual dissertation/project.

Something that follows on from this is that you should also avoid the easy temptation to write about those things which are most familiar to you. Take the opportunity to explore something new. This is useful advice since it helps you develop a critical distance on your object of study, it avoids the danger of writing all your work on different aspects of the Arctic media, or wherever you come from, and, perhaps most importantly, you may well find it more challenging and stimulating, and more likely to teach you things that you did not know already.

 

 

Examples of Past Papers

• It's all a hoax! The impact of Covid-19 misinformation on the democratic functioning of the public sphere.
• Music Sharing in the Digital Age: Intimacy, Data sharing and Self-Representation in Spotify's "Wrapped".
• A Critical Review of the changing role of the BBC in the construction of national identity as it approaches its centenary.
• Between Entertainment and Education: German Talk Shows as part of the public sphere.
• What does the "Wuhan Diary" tell us about contemporary global media practices?
• A Critique of Theodor Adorno’s attack on popular music.
• Confronting and Experiencing The Internet: Students Abroad.
• Go Global, Look Local: The Strategy of the Transnational Media Provider.
• Militant Mediation: Macho Men and Feminine Foes.
• Military Themed Video-Gaming & its Ideological Content.
• Once More With Feeling: Journalism of Attachment.
• Pilgrimage And Piracy: Identity Crises in Postmodern Society.
• The Assessment Of English-Language Media in China as China Joined The WTO.
• The Commodification of Popular Culture through Popular Music.
• The Representation of Muslims in the British Press: A Case of Moral Panic?

 

 

DRAFT ANSWER / STUDY TIPS:

 

Exploring Contemporary Media through Political Economy and Cultural Studies Perspectives: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract:

This report delves into the comparative advantages and disadvantages of employing a political economy approach versus a cultural studies approach in the study of contemporary media. By focusing on a specific media example, we aim to highlight how these theoretical frameworks offer unique insights into the dynamics of media production, distribution, and consumption. Through an in-depth analysis of the chosen example, we will demonstrate how each approach contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the media landscape.

1. Introduction:

The contemporary media landscape is dynamic and multifaceted, shaped by complex interactions between political, economic, and cultural forces. Scholars have developed various theoretical frameworks to analyze and interpret these forces, with two prominent approaches being political economy and cultural studies. This report aims to explore the comparative advantages and disadvantages of these approaches in understanding contemporary media, using a specific media example as a focal point.

2. Political Economy Approach:

2.1 Definition and Key Concepts: The political economy approach to media studies emphasizes the role of political and economic structures in shaping media content, production, and distribution. It examines how power, ownership, and control influence the media industry, ultimately impacting the information disseminated to the public.

2.2 Advantages: a. Power Structures: The political economy approach provides valuable insights into the concentration of media ownership and its implications for the diversity of voices in the public sphere. A case study of a media conglomerate's ownership structure can reveal how certain perspectives dominate the narrative.

b. Political Influence: By analyzing the political affiliations and interests of media owners, the political economy approach helps uncover potential biases and agenda-setting within media organizations. This insight is crucial for understanding how media outlets may align with specific political ideologies.

c. Economic Determinants: Understanding the economic factors driving media production and consumption is another advantage of the political economy approach. This includes exploring advertising revenue, market dynamics, and the impact of economic crises on media industries.

2.3 Disadvantages: a. Cultural Oversimplification: Critics argue that the political economy approach tends to oversimplify cultural nuances and audience reception. By focusing primarily on economic and political factors, this approach may overlook the intricate ways in which audiences interpret and engage with media content.

b. Limited Emphasis on Textual Analysis: The political economy approach often places less emphasis on the textual analysis of media content. This limitation can hinder a comprehensive understanding of how specific messages and representations shape cultural meanings.

3. Cultural Studies Approach:

3.1 Definition and Key Concepts: Cultural studies approach to media studies examines the production and consumption of media within the broader cultural context. It emphasizes the role of cultural meanings, identities, and representations in shaping media content and audience reception.

3.2 Advantages: a. Audience-Centric Perspective: Cultural studies prioritize understanding how audiences interpret and make meaning from media content. Examining audience reactions, interpretations, and subcultures allows for a more nuanced understanding of the impact of media on individuals and communities.

b. Representation Analysis: This approach focuses on the representation of different social groups within media content. A case study can illuminate how a specific media example reinforces or challenges stereotypes, contributing to broader discussions on social justice and identity politics.

c. Cultural Power Dynamics: Cultural studies highlight the power dynamics inherent in media representations. Exploring how certain groups are marginalized or empowered within media narratives contributes to discussions on cultural hegemony and resistance.

3.3 Disadvantages: a. Neglect of Economic Structures: Critics argue that cultural studies sometimes neglect the economic structures that underpin media production. A comprehensive understanding of the media landscape may require a more explicit consideration of economic factors and industry dynamics.

b. Limited Attention to Political Influences: The cultural studies approach may underemphasize the political dimensions of media, potentially overlooking how political forces shape media content and the constraints placed on media producers.

4. Comparative Analysis through a Media Example:

To illustrate the comparative advantages and disadvantages of the political economy and cultural studies approaches, we will analyze the representation of gender in a popular television series. By examining ownership structures, economic determinants, audience reception, and cultural meanings, we aim to provide a holistic understanding of how these theoretical frameworks complement and challenge each other in the analysis of the chosen media example.

4.1 Case Study: Gender Representation in "X-Series":

a. Political Economy Analysis: i. Ownership Structure: Investigate the ownership of the production company behind "X-Series" and explore how ownership influences the portrayal of gender roles in the show. ii. Economic Determinants: Examine how advertising revenue, market trends, and economic factors impact the production decisions related to gender representation in "X-Series."

b. Cultural Studies Analysis: i. Audience Reception: Conduct audience studies to understand how viewers interpret and respond to the gender portrayals in "X-Series." ii. Representation Analysis: Analyze how gender is represented in terms of stereotypes, tropes, and power dynamics within the narrative of "X-Series."

5. Conclusion:

This report has explored the comparative advantages and disadvantages of employing political economy and cultural studies approaches in the study of contemporary media. By focusing on a specific media example, we have demonstrated how each approach offers unique insights into the complex interplay of political, economic, and cultural forces within the media landscape. The analysis of gender representation in "X-Series" serves as a practical illustration of how these theoretical frameworks can be applied and integrated to provide a comprehensive understanding of contemporary media phenomena.