THURSDAY 2-4:50 pm RFTP 180I FALL 2023

CRITICAL CULTURAL
MEDIA STUDIES
MRTS-5120

Contact Info:
Instructor: Tanya D. Zuk, Ph.D.

Of ce Hours: Wednesday
9 am - 12 noon

Of ce: RFTP 266

Email: tanya.zuk@unt.edu

About Me:
I earned my Ph.D. in Moving
Image Studies at Georgia State
University. My dissertation work
focused on queer indie new
media including video games,
podcasts, web series, and social
media storytelling. The majority
of my research connects to fan
studies and fan works.
I’m excited to be able to work in
a multimedia & interdisciplinary
department. As fan studies
evolved from cultural studies,
this course is returning me to
my academic roots.
Course Description
This class is a foundational theory and methods class. As such, it
is an overview of the major concepts, theories, scholar, and
debates within critical-culture media theory. My approach to this
content is to apply cultural theories to a variety of mediums
including radio & sound, lm, television, video games, and social
media. You will nd that as a survey course that some of these
approaches are more useful or resonant to your research and
creative interests. That is natural and to be expected. As you
continue through the program, you will have the opportunity to
delve deeper into areas of thought that are useful to you.
Some of the questions that we will be asking in this class are:
How do we de ne culture, media and their interaction?

How do cultural practices (mediated or otherwise) relate

to our daily lives? Why?

What power relations are being negotiated through

cultural practice? How are these negotiations managed by
various constituents?

CRN 14056 1
fi
fi
fi

fi

fi

 THURSDAY 2-4:50 pm RFTP 180I FALL 2023

\

How do various media a ect our understanding of

Assignments ourselves, our society, and history?
Clips & Questions (10) 50%
Course Goals
Final Paper By the end of this course you should be able to…
Proposal 5%
Annotated Bib 10% Use the principles of cultural studies to examine the
Outline/Research Plan 5% relationship between media representations of race, class,
Draft/Rough 10% gender, and sexuality and actual social inequalities in our
Presentation 10%
society
Final Paper 10%
Understand more fully the meaning-making processes and
practices that comprise our media culture and the role of
Grade Scale representation in those processes and practices
97-100 A+ 80-82 B- Identify the roles that media representations play in our
93-96 A 77-79 C+ individual processes of identity formation, as well as in the
formation of such collectives as national identity, ethnic
90-92 A- 70-76 C identity, gender, etc.
87-89 B+ 60-69 D Articulate logically and e ectively, in a variety of written
83-86 B 59-0 F
forms, critical arguments derived from a cultural studies
approach to media and cultural criticism

Course Texts
Required

Badmington, Neil and Thomas, Julia, (Eds). The Routledge Critical

and Cultural Theory Reader (2008). ISBN 9780415433099

Recommended

White, Mimi & James Schwoch. Questions of Method in Cultural

Studies. Malden: Blackwell 2006. ISBN 9780631229780

Additional required readings will be available through Canvas.

Most screenings will be available through UNT or are readily
available online. Screenings will be readily available through the
UNT Media Library, or online.

CRN 14056 2

ff
ff














 THURSDAY 2-4:50 pm RFTP 180I FALL 2023

Course Policies Clip & Questions

Class Environment Clip: Ten times during the semester
It is in the best interests of you as an individual and us as a you will bring in a clip from any
classroom to create a positive, inclusive, classroom medium (not assigned or discussed
in the reading) that relates to an idea
environment. One of the greatest challenges as an
from your selected reading got that
instructor is to provide an engaging, entertaining, and
day.
intellectual classroom experience. I need your collaboration
to create the best educational experience for all involved. Questions: As student leader for
By participating in class discussion, being respectful of that reading, you will prepare three
others opinions, and preparing for class we can all work open-ended discussion questions.
together to create a creative and dynamic experience on and These questions should engage with
the reading and the media text you
o screen.
brought in to share with the class.

Accommodation Statement Show & Tell media text and questions

must be submitted by 11:59 PM the days
I endeavor to make this class accessible to every student you present.
and will do my best to make this class t your needs. If you
need special arrangements for a documented disability,
please contact the O ce of Disability Access. If you
would like to share pertinent medical information, request
special arrangements for class seating, or need special
assistance in the event of a building evacuation, please
contact me in the rst week of class. I am happy to alter
content formats and provide multiple points of access to
course materials.

Basic Needs & Security Statement

Any student who faces challenges securing their food or housing and believes this may a ect their
performance in this course is urged to contact the Dean of Students for support. For immediate food
assistance, visit UNT Food Pantry. For emergency housing needs, visit here or Cloud 9 Charities.
There are additional Wellbeing and Safety Services through Student A airs. If you are comfortable,
please let me know what is going on. I am ready and able to make course accommodations based on your
circumstances, and assist in providing resources.

Instructor Availability & Response Time

I will be available for drop-in hours on Wednesdays from 9-12 am where you we can talk face-to-face or
virtually via Zoom. You can make appointments with me by following this link.

Please, please send emails directly to me at tanya.zuk@unt.edu and not through Canvas. Don’t forget
to include which class you are taking with me. I will generally provide a response within 24 hours.

CRN 14056 3
ff

fi
ffi

fi
ff
ff
 THURSDAY 2-4:50 pm RFTP 180I FALL 2023

Attendance Policy Final Project

This class meets once a week. I expect that you will attend every
class and be prepared for each class session having reviewed There are several steps in the nal
project including a proposal,
assigned materials. That being said, life happens and I provide 1
annotated bibliography, outline/plan,
unexcused absences for you to use throughout the semester as you
draft/rough cut, presentation, and a
need. Use it wisely. Additional absences will a ect your grade.
nal paper or project.

Late Policy You have two options for your nal

project:
All assignments must be submitted through the appropriate
Canvas tool by 11:59 PM CST on the speci ed due date. Refer to Option 1: A traditional paper (2000
the Assignment Guidelines and/or Rubrics for speci c details on words) on a topic of your choosing
completing the assignments in this course. (using either semiotic or ethnographic
method), that you will present to the
Appeals class. This can be focusing on
applying a speci c approach to a
If you wish to appeal a grade: within a week of getting your
subculture (ethnographic). Or it can
assignment back you must hand in, along with the assignment you be tackling any of the theoretical
want re graded, a typed one page paper explaining why you believe approaches presented in class as
your grade was incorrect and should be regraded. I will respond in applied to a media text of your choice.
writing within a week. Please note, that re-grading does NOT
This is a formal paper in that it needs
guarantee a better grade.
outside research and citations (MLA or
Academic Integrity Policy APA).

Please note that by staying in this class you are agreeing to abide Option 2: A creative project where
by all the standards of academic integrity as found in the Honor you create a media text of your own
based on your research (and course
Code. Please review the policies on AI generated content as
content), which you then present to
developed by the Media Arts department in Canvas. Additionally,
the class. This project could be a
you agree to hold to the legal and professional standards set within game, movie concept and trailer, TV
the media industries in regard to credits. pitch, script, short lm, or something
else you propose!
Subject to Change Statement
In addition to the creative project, you
The instructor reserves the right to modify the course
will also have to provide an artist
requirements and other related policies as circumstances may statement (500 words) and re ection
dictate, and with su cient noti cation to all students. Even the paper on the research used to create
professor can have an unanticipated emergency, and the university your media object (500 words).
—or the community at large—may experience an emergency that
requires changing the class schedule or requirements. I don't expect
to invoke this clause, but if I do, you will be noti ed as soon as
possible. Any change will also be posted to Canvas.

CRN 14056 4
fi

-­

fi
fi

ffi

fl
fi
fi

fi

fi
ff
fi
fi
 THURSDAY 2-4:50 pm RFTP 180I FALL 2023

Resources Revise & Resubmit

UNT Writing Center
I have a long-standing open
There are several small papers, as well as a nal project required
revise and resubmit policy for all
in this class. You may nd over the course of the semester, that of my classes. I rmly believe that
you want help revising your work. You can sign-up for a session students are more likely to review
at: https://writingcenter.unt.edu/. I’ve used writing and use feedback if they can
assistance throughout my academic career. No one gets citations apply it immediately. Therefore
or grammar naturally. Use every resource at your disposal! you can revise any assignment
during the semester using the
Disability Services feedback provided and resubmit
If you need special arrangements for a documented disability, for an improved grade.
please contact the O ce of Disability Access. This o ce can
You may not revise/resubmit the
assist you in testing, registering and acquiring letters of
show & tell assignment, your
accommodation as well as other services.
presentation, or nal as these are
time speci c. However, all other
Media Library
assignments including all
The Media Library contains the UNT Libraries’ non-print, re ections and nal project steps
audiovisual, tabletop games, and video games collections. The are fair game.
Media Library also has The Nest, which is an e-sports and
game design space. The mission of the UNT Media Library is to To complete the revise/resubmit,
support the instructional and research needs of UNT faculty, just re-submit the assignment in
its original dropbox. Last call for
sta , and students by collecting, maintaining, and providing
revise & resubmit is our last class
access to media materials that represent all academic disciplines
session on December 7th.
and all genres of lm.

#Adulting
UNT o ers a variety of seminars, resources, and support
services to help you gure out the requirements of life outside of school. The #Adulting program
includes money management, career prep, managing medical insurance, mental health support, info on
the shuttle and parking, and even emergency assistance like late night e-ride program.

CRN 14056 5


fl
ff
ff
fi

fi
fi
fi
fi
fi
ffi
fi

fi
ffi


 THURSDAY 2-4:50 pm RFTP 180I FALL 2023

Course Schedule
All readings and screenings are due the by the start of class on the date below. Assignments deadlines
are due by 11:59 PM the date assigned below.

Readings Deadlines

Intro Getting to Know You

8/24 Due 8/24

Foundations • Dominic Strinati. “The Frankfurt School.”  An Introduction

8/31 to Theories of Popular Culture.  Routledge, NY, 1995.
(PDF)
• Raymond Williams, “Culture is Ordinary” (Routledge)

Political Economy • Carl Marx, Preface to “Political Economy” (Routledge)

9/7 • Raymond Williams, “Base & Superstructure” (PDF)

Subculture/ • Jacques Derrida, “Difference” (Routledge) Proposal

Hegemony • Dick Hebdige. “From Culture to Hegemony.” Subculture:
9/14 The Meaning of Style (New York: Routledge, 1979). (PDF)

Methods • Mimi White & James Schwoch, “Questions of Method in

9/21 Cultural Studies” (PDF)
• David Muggleton.  2000. “A Neo-Weberian Approach to
the Study of Subcultural Style.” (PDF)
• Sue Thornham. (2000). “Ethnographic Turn.” (PDF)

Authorship • Roland Barthes, “Death of the Author” (Routledge)

9/28 • Walter Benjamin, “…Mechanical Reproduction”
(Routledge)

Semiotics • Ferdinand de Saussure, “Linguistic Value” (Routledge) Annotated

10/5 • Henri Lefebvre, “The Social Text” (Routledge) Bibliography
• Stuart Hall, “Encode/Decode” (Routledge)

Mass/Popular • Dominic Strinati. “Mass Culture & Popular Culture.” (PDF)

Culture • William Hartley, “Read Thyself.” Questions of Method in
10/12 Cultural Studies (PDF)
• Henry Jenkins, “Tarantino’s Star Wars” (PDF)

CRN 14056 6

 THURSDAY 2-4:50 pm RFTP 180I FALL 2023

Readings Deadlines

Act of Looking • Laura Mulvey, “Visual Pleasure…” (Routledge)

10/19 • Michel Foucault, “Pannopticism” (Routledge)

Horror • Carol Clover, “Her Body, Himself” (PDF) Outline

10/26 • Linda Williams, “Film Bodies in Excess” (PDF)

Gender & • Joan Riviere, “Womanliness as Masquerade” (Routledge)

Sexuality • Sue Thornham (2000). “Identity Shopping.” (PDF)
11/2 • Gayle Rubin, “…Sexuality” (Routledge)

Queer Theories • J. Butler, “…Gender Insubordination” (Routledge)

11/9 • Laure Berlant & Michael Warner, “Queer Theory”
(Routledge)
• Donna Haraway, “Cyborg Manifesto” (Routledge)

Orientalism • Edward Said, “Orientalism” (Routledge) Draft Due

11/16 • Frantz Fanon, “Fact of Blackness” (Routledge)

Thanksgiving Break

Blackness/Race • Julia Kristeva, “Abjection” (Routledge)

11/30 • Gloria Anzaldua, “Tame a Wild Tongue” (Routledge)
• bell hooks, “Eating the Other” (PDF)

Week 15 Presentations/Creative Works

12/7

Final papers and projects are due by midnight, Monday, December 11th, 2023.

CRN 14056 7