This week we have read selections that discuss the influence of media, society, and culture and a variety of significant issues. For this paper, you have two options:
- Follow one particular story in the news media throughout a 2-week time period, taking a close look at how the reporting may have changed throughout that time. Argue for how the coverage of the story has impacted the event itself. How is the identity of those included in the story or reading/seeing the coverage changed? Through words/catchphrases? Through pictures? Through music? What is the outcome? Is someone’s identity changed? Is the nation changed? Remember you are not reporting on the event; your reader will most likely be generally familiar with the event you’re discussing. You are arguing for how the reporting and coverage of the event has changed the identity of someone in particular, analyzing a particular aspect of the reporting/coverage. Again, a specific connection and thesis is crucial here: the more specific your connection, the more in depth your analysis and argument will be, and the more interesting your entire paper will become.
- Select a current piece of pop culture – a TV show or series, a film, a song, video, etc. – and discuss its influence on the identity of a particular individual or group. For an example, consider Steinem’s essay “Wonder Woman.” Does this pop culture work reinforce or challenge ideas or stereotypes about this individual or group? How does it fit into a larger body of work about this particular individual or group? You will want to be specific in your selection (i.e., you might want to select a few episodes of a TV series rather than the entire series); consider discussing a specific character from a film or the setting, a particular scene, etc. Make sure you select a work that provides some depth and complexity; this doesn’t mean that it has to be “high” art, only that it will provide opportunities for a complex analysis.
