COMM 4260

Gender and Media

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2026-2027 Catalog.

This seminar addresses the intersection of communication, culture, and identity through an examination of gender and the U.S. media system. After introducing students to key approaches to studying gender and mediated communication, the course will cover topics in four subunits: (1). Mediated representations of gender, sexuality, and intersectionality; (2). Diversity in media industries and gendered labor markets; (3). Gendered audiences and fan cultures; and (4). Gender, power, and identity in a digital era of communication. We will explore these topics through literature from sociology, communication and media studies, cultural studies, feminist theory, and internet/new media studies.

Distribution Requirements (D-AG)

Last 4 Terms Offered (None)

Learning Outcomes

• Analyze and apply key theories and methods of studying media, power, and social identities.
• Analyze how media construct gender and its intersections with age, race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, religion, and/or ability.
• Evaluate the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the structure and organization of media industries and cultural production.
• Assess how digital media technologies challenge and/or reinforce traditional constructions of gender.
• Produce and communicate evidence-based analyses of media and gender through written, visual, and/or narrative formats.
• Critically evaluate and create media texts, narratives, and imagery using principles of ethical and inclusive media practice.

View Enrollment Information