The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the major debates surrounding the role of media in the lives and development of children. Popular claims about the effects of media on children will be investigated and deepened, with a communication perspective that gives weight to the complex interplay between media texts and audiences, between lived experience and symbolic representation. Reading will be combined with viewing of various child-oriented media materials -- to ground our discussion in the particular media that surrounds children today. Some questions we will consider: How has the "child" become such a powerful symbolic icon in contemporary cultural discourse? How has the very notion of "childhood" changed historically? How is the interaction between child and media related to the contexts of the family, the dynamics of school, the agendas and organization of entertainment industries, the shifting dynamics of media technologies, and the regulatory efforts of government and parents? How can we successfully study children and their media consumption to trace these complex contours?

Course Requirements

The most important assignment is to complete all of the reading assigned; comprehension of the arguments is crucial to your success in this course. Two brief writing assignments will ask you to comment on particular issues in the relationship between children and media. But the majority of the course grade will be based on an in-class midterm in the ninth class meeting, and a take-home final due during the scheduled exam period. The midterm will cover the basic concepts introduced in the first half of the course; the final will require students to draw from the materials of the course to assess and contribute to the arguments about the complex relationship of children and media. Further explanation for these assignments will be provided in class.

Attendance

Attendance will be taken at every class meeting. While attendance does not count specifically towards your grade, you cannot pass this class if you miss more than four sessions.

Books (available at Groundworks Books)

David Buckingham, After the Death of Childhood: Growing up in the Age of Electronic Media (2000)
Anne Haas Dyson, Writing Superheroes: Contemporary childhood, popular culture, and classroom literacy (1997)

Course Schedule

Thurs., January 10 -- representations of childhood

* BUCKINGHAM -- Ch. 1 (pp. 3-17)
* Allison James, Chris Jenks, and Alan Prout, excerpt from Theorizing Childhood
* Roger Silverstone, "The Other," from Why Study the Media?

* Viviana Zelizer, Chs. 2 and 3 from Pricing the Priceless Child

* Ageliki Nikolopolou, "Play, Cognitive Development, and the Social World: Piaget, Vygotsky, and Beyond"
* Charles Crook, "Technology, Media, and Social Development"

* BUCKINGHAM -- Ch. 4 (pp. 61-79)
* Roger Silverstone, "House and Home," from Why Study the Media?
* Chris Richards, "Room to Dance"

* DYSON -- Ch. 1 (pp. 10-28)
* Roger Silverstone, "Play," from Why Study the Media?
* Barrie Thorne, Ch. 5 of Gender Play

* DYSON -- Chs. 2, 3 and 4 (pp. 29-85)

Thurs., January 31 -- media in the classroom

* DYSON -- Chs. 8 (pp. 165-186)
* Ellen Seiter, "Lay Theories of Media Effects: Power Rangers at Pre-School" Ch. 4 of Television and New Media Audiences

* Douglas Rushkoff, "A Brand by Any Other Name," London Times

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/cool/rushkoff/brand.html

* BUCKINGHAM -- Ch. 8 (pp. 145-167)
* Stephen Kline, introduction to Out of the Garden

* Edward Herman and Robert McChesney, Ch. 2 of The Global Media
* Norman Klein, "Marketing: Mickey Becomes a Logo, 1930-1934," from Seven Minutes
* Michael Eisner, letter to the shareholders, Annual Report 2001

http://disney.go.com/corporate/investors/financials/annual/2001/index.html
(click on "Introduction" and "Letter to Shareholders")

* Heather Hendershot, "Toys, TV, and Toaster Pictures," from Saturday Morning Censors
* Bernard Mergen, "Made, Bought and Stolen"

* BUCKINGHAM -- Ch. 7 (pp. 123-144)
* David Leonhardt, "Hey Kid, Buy This!" Business Week June 30, 1997.

http://www.businessweek.com/1997/26/b35331.htm

* Henry Giroux, " Kids For Sale: Corporate Culture and the Challenge of Public Schooling," from Stealing Innocence

* Heather Hendershot, "Sesame Street: Cognition and Communications Imperialism"
* Marsha Kinder, "Ranging with Power on the Fox Kids Network: Or, Where on Earth Is ChildrenŐs Educational Television?"

* BUCKINGHAM -- Ch. 3 (pp. 41-60)
* Jon Katz, "The Rights of Kids in the Digital Age ", Wired July 1996
* Henry Jenkins, "'Complete Freedom of Movement': Video Games as Gendered Play Spaces"

* Steven Starker, Ch. 1 of Evil Influences
* John Murray, "The Impact of Televised Violence"
* David Gauntlett, "Ten Things Wrong with the Effects Model"

http://www.NewMediaStudies.com/effects1.htm

* George Gerbner, "The Hidden Side of Television Violence"

* FCC, "Policies and rules concerning children's TV programming"

http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Mass_Media/Orders/1996/fcc96335.htm

* U.S. Court of Appeals decision ACLU vs. Reno II (rejecting COPA)

http://www.epic.org/free_speech/copa/3d_cir_opinion.html

* Henry Jenkins, "Mr. Jenkins Goes to Washington", e-mail

* Philip Elmer-DeWitt, "Cyberporn", Time July 3, 1995
* Daniel Silverman, "Censorship High," Salon June 14, 2001

http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2001/06/14/net_filtering/print.html

* Elizabeth Shea, "The Children's Internet Protection Act Of 1999: Is Internet Filtering Software The Answer?"

* BUCKINGHAM -- Ch. 10 (pp. 191-207)
* Henry Giroux, excerpt from Stealing Innocence

The FINAL EXAM will be a take home, due during the official exam period.