Monash University Handbook 2011 Undergraduate - Unit

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Synopsis

The unit explores the characteristics of media production and consumption in the East Asian region. The rapid social change experienced in the region is closely related to the use of information and communication technologies, and these will steer the future direction of the region's development. Mediated cultural flows are evident in audiovisual material. Japan, Korea and increasingly China lead media production of new media and cultural products or content, such as reality television, dramas, computer games, and blogs. These will be the materials examined in this unit. How these media are related to local and international contexts will be an integral topic for exploration in the unit.

Objectives

On successful completion of this unit students will:

1. have been exposed to, and have a competent understanding of, contemporary cultural developments in East Asia that reflect transnational cultural flows;
2. have acquired an informed understanding of the role of media in the rapidly developing societies of East Asia;
3. (for language students) have consolidated their skills in listening comprehension and translation as they access a variety of Asian media;
4. (for media studies students) have obtained in-depth consolidation of intercultural understanding;
5. have come to understand the way social reality is shaped by the New Media in Asian societies, especially in comparison with media production and consumption in Australia;
6. students undertaking the unit at third year level will be expected to demonstrate a more sophisticated grasp of the key theoretical concepts, a wider breath of reading at secondary level. They will be expected to assume a leadership role in tutorial discussion, and will be required to append annotated bibliographies to all written work. They will also be expected to demonstrate a higher level of understanding of the material through their assessment.

Assessment

Essay 1 (900 words): 20%+ Essay 2 (1800 words): 40%
Exam (1800 words): 40%

Contact hours

2 hrs lecture/seminar

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Asian studies
Chinese studies
Communications
International studies
Japanese studies
Korean and Korean studies

Prohibitions

ATS3897