School of Humanities  
 
 
MDS-30017 Visual Pleasures: From Carnival to Disney  
Co-ordinator: Dr Gary Kelsall   Tel:34968  
Teaching Team: Mrs Victoria  Norman, Miss Jo-Anne  Watts,  Paul  Rixon  
Lecture Time: See Timetable...  
Level: 3 Credits: 15 Study Hours: 150  
School Office: Tel: 01782 733147
 
 
 
Programme/Approved Electives for

Media, Communications and Culture Dual Honours (Level 3)
Media, Communications and Culture Minor (Level 3)

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Yes

Barred Combinations

None

Prerequisites

None

Description

The media and our notions of leisure are inextricably connected, and our leisure time and activities, the leisure industries and our various leisure landscapes are expressions of the relationships we have with the media. This module uses these notions, experiences and articulations of leisure to take a critical look at the media.
-How does Disney act as an example of the political economy of the media?
-What part did the media play in $ùconstructing&© the seaside to be part of our collective identity and popular culture?
-How has the media redefined sport, and particularly football, in recent times?

We interrogate how the media have shaped our ideas and our experiences of leisure through various forms and practices, spaces and places; through processes such as rationalization, commercialization and globalization, that are rooted in the material social, political and economic contexts.

We consider various critical perspectives of the media and locate them through a look at a range of particular historic and contemporary examples and contexts of leisure, such as the carnival, the seaside, shopping, theme parks, football, tourist destinations, gaming, the internet and social media.

Visual representations of the forms and expressions of our leisure help to construct the ways we perceive ourselves and our cultural identity. This module will consider, in particular, how these visual representations operate, through forms of $ùstill&© and moving image. Examples will be drawn from the leisure and tourism industries, through press and PR, advertising, photojournalism as well as through specialist practitioners and non-professional practices.

Looking at specific examples and locations will help students to see how particular representations and ethnographies may be used to assist in an understanding of our relationship with the media and our leisure. Examples will be drawn from local as well as national and international contexts in order to enable students to experience at first hand, as a basis for their own assessed work as well as to foster an exploration of the relationship between the local and the global and what we $ùdo&© and how we think.


Aims

-To develop understanding of various critical approaches to the media.
-To use forms, practices and spaces of leisure as contexts for understanding various critical approaches.
-To understand how various visual media are used and act to communicate and shape cultural identity.
-To be able to apply an understanding of visual media and critical approaches to relevant contexts.


Intended Learning Outcomes

recognise and explain various critical and contextual approaches to the media.


will be achieved by assessments: 1
examine how the media can be used to communicate and express ideas and concepts. will be achieved by assessments: 1,2,3
analyse how various visual media are used and act to communicate and shape cultural identity. will be achieved by assessments: 1,2,3
apply their understanding of visual media and critical approaches to relevant contexts. will be achieved by assessments: 2,3
use forms, practices and spaces of leisure as contexts for understanding various critical approaches. will be achieved by assessments: 2,3


Study hours

12 x 1.5hour lectures/workshops (18 hours)
12 x 30 minute tutorials (6 hours)
6 x 1 hours lab/workshop sessions (6 hours)
40 hours project preparation (40 hours)
40 hours essay preparation (40 hours)
40 hours self/guided independent study (80)


Description of Module Assessment

01: Essay weighted 40%
2000 Word Critical Essay
Students will negotiate the title of their own essay with their tutor/s. Essay questions will be based on the critical and contextual content of their practical assessment and should draw for the topics / content covered on the module.

02: Presentation weighted 20%
15 Minute Presentation
Students will present their ideas for their practical project and their related essay

03: Practical Assessment weighted 40%
A Portfolio of Photos OR a Short Video (5 minutes duration)
Students with either produce a portfolio of photos or a short video on a topic/subject/idea relevant to the critical and contextual content of the module.


Version: (1.06B) Updated: 02/Oct/2013

This document is the definitive current source of information about this module and supersedes any other information.