English 1002-004

Research Topics

2006-07-11T11:51:00.000-05:00

Please post your top choice of a research subject. Check out the list of our class-generated topics here.

New Media: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

2006-07-10T07:34:00.000-05:00

We've talked at length about the power of media conglomerates to control what information we receive and what entertainment choices we have. What are some ways that the Internet has changed that? According to Chris Anderson, what is the "long tail" effect and how does it shape our media consumption habits? What are the benefits of the kind of access you get to information through the Internet? What are possible negative ramifications? Lastly, what kind of role does the Internet play in your life? Do you use it for entertainment and information? Does it seem like a reliable media source to you? Why or why not?

Ads, Ads, Ads

2006-06-26T11:06:00.000-05:00

So, in class we've been talking about the effects of the media we consume, and we're shifting from news/entertainment media to advertising. I'd like to hear what you all have to say about the culture of advertising. Post a comment below in which you address the following: How do you think it affects you personally, as a person or as a consumer? How do you think advertising affects our culture at large? What are some dangers of uncritically consuming advertisements? Can you think of any benefits to the consumer that advertising provides? Can you think of any ad that has directly affected a purchase you've made?

Update on our Congressman and Links to Coverage of the Rape Allegations Against the Duke Lacrosse Players

2006-06-14T21:31:00.000-05:00

We briefly mentioned Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson in class today, so I thought I'd post a couple of links in case anyone is interested in finding out more about the allegations against him. Here's a recent article in Harper's, which gives some interesting background, and a timeline of coverage The Advocate has done over the past few months.

I also mentioned the allegations against the Duke lacrosse players: here's the investigative article in Rolling Stone that I referenced. Here's a recent story that ran on NPR about the case, which also has links to other related stories if you're interested in the background of the case. The NPR show News and Notes has covered the case pretty extensively; here's their most recent show about it.

Of course, as we talked about in class today, we have to ask from whose persepectives these articles come and what interests they serve, but they should at least give you a starting point for finding out more about these issues if you're interested.

Media Conglomerates: Why Does It Matter?

2006-06-13T09:12:00.000-05:00

In a comment on this post (instructions follow), please respond to Robert McChesney's "The Global Media Giants," Mark Crispin Miller's "What's Wrong with this Picture?" and the media holdings you looked at on The Big Ten chart. Tell us: why do you think it matters to our discussions of pop culture who owns the big media companies? Did any of the information in these articles surprise you? Have you ever thought about who owns media companies? What do you think after reading Miller and McChesney? What did you find most interesting, disturbing, thought-provoking? What questions do you have about what they're saying?

How to leave a comment: Click on the comments link at the bottom right. In the box that appears, type your response (or you can cut and paste from a word-processing application if you'd rather type it out and look over it first. Where it says "Choose an Identity," you will need to select "other" and then type your name into the name box. Hit submit comment, and within a few minutes, your comment should appear (sometimes it takes a while). Remember, I'm not looking for perfect grammar; I'm looking for ideas. I want to see that you've at least tried to engage with the texts in order to figure out what you think.

Welcome!

2006-06-06T22:15:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the blog for English 1002-004. This space will be devoted to posing questions, testing out ideas, brainstorming, and discussing with one another what we think about the issues we're tackling in class.