Political Science (POLI) 291

Overview

Canada's mass media have played a particularly significant role in the country's development as a distinct nation. The course is structured around issues of media power in Canadian life. It examines aspects of the Canadian experience in the context of current perspectives on national and international media developments.

Outline

Part I: Introduction to the Study of Communication and Power in Canada

• Unit 1: What Makes Communications in Canada Unique?
• Unit 2: Understanding the Relationship Between Communication and Power
• Unit 3: Representation and Cultural Identity

Part II: Media Industries and Their Powers

• Unit 4: The Media Industries
• Unit 5: Public Broadcasting
• Unit 6: Communication Rights and Restraints Part 1 – Communication as a Human Right and Media Reform
• Unit 7: Communication Rights and Restraints Part 2 – Protection of Privacy and Intellectual Property Rights

Part III: Regulating and Challenging Media Power

• Unit 8: Communication Policy and the CRTC
• Unit 9: Alternative Media

Part IV: Digital Transformations and the Power of Networks

• Unit 10: Canada as a Network Society
• Unit 11: Convergence
• Unit 12: Critical Questions for Big Data

Evaluation

To receive credit for for POLI 291, you must complete all of the assignments and achieve a minimum composite course grade of D (50 percent). The chart below summarizes the course activities and the credit weight associated with each assignment.

Materials

This course either does not have a course package or the textbooks are open-source material and available to students at no cost. This course has a Course Administration and Technology Fee, but students are not charged the Course Materials Fee.

Other Materials

The course materials also include an online study guide and course manual.

Important links

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