MP5022 - Cultural Identities on Screen

The module is taught by weekly two-hour lectures and one-hour seminars . The lectures introduce you to key ideas relating to the representation of cultural identity in screen media, and the role such media plays in the construction of cultural identity. Each class will relate to a particular aspect of screen representation, and is designed to develop your understanding of key theoretical approaches to the representation of cultural identity. The seminars will involve student-led discussion of, and thus critical engagement with, the theoretical and generic issues raised in the class. You are expected to prepare for classes by studying the set texts for each week as well as undertaking additional recommended reading and/or viewing. The information on required and recommended reading/viewing can be found in the module guide and on the e-Learning Portal; set texts will be accessible via an e-reading list. Class discussions are also intended to develop your communication skills and your ability to develop and respond to ideas in a collaborative environment. Tutorials are used to assist you in the preparation of your essay.

Seminars will involve group discussions with the tutor and fellow students, providing a constructive environment for the enhancement of knowledge and understanding of the subject, preparation for the assessment tasks, and the development of communication skills. Class material (such as Powerpoint slides, links to clips and discussion points) will be accessible via the e-Learning portal, along with supplementary learning material (which may include web links, suggestions for further viewing and reading). A list of key and further reading material will be available on the eLP, and an electronic reading list will link you directly to key sources, allowing you to access them anytime and anywhere. The module will also incorporate assessment preparation sessions, with advice on how to approach the essay component. Furthermore, the module tutor will offer set office hours for academic support

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:

• An understanding of the key approaches to screen representation of cultural identities

• An ability to contextualise examples of screen media in terms of their relation with discourses around cultural identity

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

• An ability to articulate, evaluate and apply theoretical and critical approaches to screen representation

• Demonstration of analytical and communication abilities through verbal and written means

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

• An appreciation of the global and cultural contexts of television production

The assessment strategy for this module is to encourage you to develop a critically and contextually informed understanding of how screen media represents and constructs notions of cultural identity, and to communicate this clearly in written form. The assessment task is an essay of 3000 words which requires you to choose from a list of questions.

It addresses all of the MLOs relating to knowledge/understanding and intellectual/professional skills, in testing: an understanding of key approaches to the subject; an ability to contextualise specific examples; an ability to articulate, evaluate and apply theoretical/critical ideas in relation to specific examples; and the communication of these abilities in written form. Generally, the essay tests your broad range of knowledge gained on the module relating to representation, cultural identities and television. Feedback will be given electronically.

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The module will focus on the representation and articulation of cultural identities across screen media, with an emphasis on television (broadly defined) . Via a range of case-studies from the beginnings of television to digital age (i.e. on-demand platforms) you will consider how, for example, gender, ethnicity, national and regional identities are constructed. You will explore issues such as class, gender and racial stereotypes, visibility of minority groups and integration. The module is taught via two-hour lectures and one-hour seminars. You are assessed by way of an essay that tests your broad range of knowledge gained on the module relating to representation, cultural identities and screen media.