We live in an increasingly mediated world, where giant institutions from Facebook to the BBC shape our thinking about society, or seem to.

How does the UK media characterise British society and its relationship with the outside world? Is the media a tool to protect or criticise powerful organisations? To what extent is the media a power-broker in its own right? Are our beliefs and actions affected by the media at all?

This course focuses on the British media system, in a global context, through a combination of theory, fieldwork, and practical analysis. We begin by examining the contemporary content of UK newspapers and television, considering reasons and motivations for bias, before proceeding to alternative forms of information dissemination in social media, movies, documentaries, and propaganda. Students are encouraged to develop a personal area of speciality and to bring mini-presentations and artefacts to class each week, making each session unique, bespoke, and lively.