Course Description

This course focuses on issues related to disability and mass media representation, including journalism, TV, film, advertising, photography, documentary, comic art and the Internet. Topics covered will include:

• The relationship between disability studies and media studies;
• The various models of media representation of disability;
• The impact of stigma in mass media imagery;
• Mediated bodies – the impact of cultural and media representations on the experiences of people with disabilities;
• Disability media, i.e. content created by and for people with disabilities;
• Content and textual analysis – researching the prevalence and meaning of mediated disability representation;
• News about disability rights in U.S. society, what is and isn’t covered; and
• “Hidden” disabilities and how they do or don’t get onto the media’s radar.

Assignments and Program Goals

This paper demonstrates my mastery of program goal # 1  Knowledge of disability experience, individual and social- add link here

This paper demonstrates my mastery of program goal # 4 Familiarity with disability and the arts and/or creativity in disability culture - add link here

Reflections

Here are some suggestions to think about and reflect on here. You can use the questions below or substitute other thoughts that you think are relevant to your learning in this course.

• What did you think this class was about when you enrolled?

• What was the most valuable thing you learned in this class? Was there a topic or learning module that didn’t resonate with you?  Why? 

• What was the most challenging thing about this course? 

• How did this course connect to the other courses in your Disability Studies program?