Mass Media and Society

Mass media messages bombard our brains every day and can alter our perceptions of the world and our role in it. Understanding the theories behind the economic and social organization of media industries can help us sort out the messages we receive and how we perceive them.

Sociology, the study of human behavior, is an ideal lens through which to study mass media and the influences it has on those who consume it, no matter which form it is presented in — journalism, films, music, social media, or something else.

Close Analysis and Critical Thinking

Mass Media and Society (SOC 230) encourages a careful analysis of mass media and its impacts. In SOC 230, you will take a global and transnational approach to this analysis, considering the economic, political, and social contexts. You will develop critical thinking skills and knowledge to enrich your liberal arts education and your life beyond college.

Our current society is flooded with media. SOC 230 explores the relationships among mass media, the public sphere, and democracy. This course will help you reframe those messages and analyze the biases that may arise.

New Ways of Thinking and Understanding

SOC 230 is an innovative course featuring hands-on projects and research. As you study media messaging and how it is received, this course will introduce you to new ways of thinking and new methods of analysis. The course uses films, group discussions, and projects to take your analyses deeper and give them context in the world as we know it.

Students of SOC 230 have gone on to major in sociology, pursue careers in journalism or writing, attend grad school, and take advantage of exciting study abroad opportunities in Prague.