Master of Global Media Communication

Students will be introduced to a variety of quantitative and qualitative approaches to researching communications, institutions, technologies, texts and audiences across the complex digital global media landscape. Students will gain practical experience in applying different research methods and data gathering processes, including techniques for semi-structured interviews, content analysis, semiotics, discourse analysis, ethnography, surveys and social media analysis. Students will learn how to conduct a literature review, develop a research question, design a research methodology, identify and collect a data sample, manage and analyse data, and present the findings through the execution of their own research project. Upon completion of the subject, students will have developed an understanding of the key issues, strategies, and ethical responsibilities of media and communications research. To this end, students have the opportunity to develop special insight and expertise into an area of media and communications practice. The subject provides students with critical research skills for application to both industry and scholarly research projects, and equips them for further research subjects offered in the Masters of Global Media program.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject provides students with foundational case studies and conceptual frameworks for understanding the history of media technologies, institutions, practices, and products. Students will develop a critical understanding of the issues and debates surrounding the complex transformation of media spaces and practices from the broadcast era to the contemporary digital communications landscape. Students will explore the impact of digital technologies on the production, distribution, and consumption of mediated communications with an emphasis on the dynamic consequences of these shifts for global communications and networked publics. Students will develop academic skills of critical thinking to engage with and evaluate literature, and to write argumentatively.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Over the course of the last thirty years, an 'associational revolution' has swept the world, as more and more civil society organisations have taken over tasks formerly assigned to states, formed cross-border advocacy campaigns to hold both states and corporations accountable for labour, environmental, and human rights violations, and formulated alternative development policies that run counter to the paradigms espoused by the World Bank and other multilateral lending organizations. While some argue that this associational revolution promises more participatory, expedient, and decentralized forms of transnational governance, others contend that it reflects little more than the ongoing privatisation of the public sphere at the hands of transnational capital. In this course, we evaluate these and alternative perspectives by exploring transformations in the structure of the global political-economy over the past thirty years; looking closely at the roles played by a variety of NGOs and CBOs as part of more multi-layered regimes of 'global governance'; analysing the shifts in state structures that have made these regimes possible; and teasing apart the ongoing tensions between various factions of what some have called, an emerging 'global civil society'. Case studies will be drawn from Africa, South Asia, and Latin America.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject enhances students’ ability to communicate effectively and strategically in English-speaking professional settings in Australia and internationally. Students will acquire research-based discourse analytic tools to understand workplace cultures and norms of interaction, and develop practical skills in advanced spoken and email-based workplace interaction. Topics include opening and closing conversations, engaging in small talk, raising sensitive issues with peers and superior, making and responding to requests, complaints, and refusals from a position of strength and weakness, structuring short ad hoc speeches, participating in job interviews, and understanding cultural norms of humour, sarcasm and non-literal language use. There will be an emphasis throughout on intercultural differences and awareness raising of how cultural norms impact interaction.

Note: This subject is aimed at speakers of English as an additional language. It is not suitable for native speakers of English.

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This subject focuses on the advanced language required for successful graduate study in English. In this subject students will develop critical approaches to researching, reading and writing. They will also develop the ability to plan and present confidently on a research topic and to write a literature review fluently and accurately. Particular attention is paid to grammatical and stylistic aspects of written and spoken academic discourse. Students write and present on a research topic that is relevant to their field of study.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject addresses ethical issues and legal constraints related to working in the arts and culture sector, including publishing for print and digital media. It will review existing ethical codes and the mechanisms established to police them, as well as offering an overview of how practices are shaped by law relating to such matters as intellectual property, contracts, negligence, privacy, defamation and respect for cultural differences. On successfully completing this subject, students will have gained an understanding of a wide range of ethical and legal considerations for their professional practice.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Global Crisis Reporting examines studies and approaches to global communications and the reporting of crises, including disasters and humanitarian relief. The course examines the extent to which, how and why forms of coverage have changed in recent years, and considers how these changes have impacted on the way in which "crises" are constructed, mediated and communicated. It considers the possible impacts of such changes on national and international public opinion and political leaders, as well as on those immediately involved. Amongst the themes addressed are: the rise of digital technologies of news production and distribution and their impact on the nature of crisis reporting, arguments for and against a "journalism of attachment", the communication strategies of humanitarian organisations and the degree to which coverage of human suffering raises questions about the moral responsibility of news-makers. The subject also examines issues regarding the political impacts of contemporary crisis reporting, the nature and direction of communication flows, the rise of emergent practices of crisis communications and media activism and the degree to which transformations in the field may, or may not, serve to positively address the relations underpinning global crises.

View detailed information in the Handbook

The increasingly global nature of digital communication is producing a startling array of bodies taking responsibility for policy issues. These range from national governments to international policy organizations. Digital policy ranges from technical specifications and the allocation of spectra, to platform and content regulation, 'fake news' regulation in addition to safeguarding intellectual property and the protection of cultural heritage in addition to ethics of Artificial Intelligence. The international organizations have long histories (the International Telecommunications Union for example, founded in 1865) Some are non-governmental organisations or not-for-profit corporations, others are formed to administer treaties, or are organs of the United Nations.

However, crucial knowledge for all professionals in today's data world is how these policies balance the demands of the data subject, digital industries and national governments in varying degrees, and all play host to major lobbies and diplomacy. Some bodies have significant influence over the activities of others: the World Trade Organisation’s policy instruments have major impact on digital services.

The subject will assess case studies and encourage critical debates of digital policy development.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject examines the transformations of urban life and social belonging by focusing on the related impact of human mobility and new media and communication technologies. It will critically engage with the dominant sociological models for explaining global movement and the emergence of global, mobile media, and will test their relationship to theories of the nation state, diasporic cultures and new urban formations. In particular it will examine the formation of new hybrid identities, cosmopolitan organizations, transnational modes of agency and social interaction. This subject will address the complex cultural transformation of public space and the public sphere in contemporary society. It will situate this discussion in relation to underlying fears towards outsiders and ambivalence towards the impact of new technologies and mobility in general. On completion of this subject, students will be familiar with alternative perspectives for understanding the relation between global flows and local affiliations, and for understanding the emergence of new social spaces and practices in the diasporic cultures of contemporary cities.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject offers an advanced critical examination of the impact of digital technology on contemporary media industries and cultural practices. We will examine the way the internet and new modes of collaborative production in the Web 2.0 environment are driving the transformation of all media sectors, including cinema, music, video, gaming and television. Through case studies in these sectors and close analysis of contemporary internet practices, students will engage with key debates about digital culture, including the transformation of audiences, the emergence of new media platforms, the role of peer to peer networks and social media and the changing nature of power in the digital era.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject explores critical perspectives on digital platforms within media and communications studies. Digital platforms incorporate databases, algorithms, interfaces and infrastructures, and now play a significant role in mediating digital economies, cultural practices and social relations. Students will examine various theoretical, historical and methodological approaches for analyzing digital platforms, including their histories and social impacts. Within the subject workshops, students will consider debates around technology innovation, change and adoption, whilst also undertaking a research project to apply these ideas to a specific feature or function of a digital platform.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject explores the complex relationship between digital media and politics, broadly defined to include a range of political processes, roles and responsibilities. Using timely political case studies, students will analyse the different mechanisms by which these two systems influence each. They will learn to read the different affordances of digital media and assess how the logical operation of these tools preferences certain types of politics over others. Students will develop a critical understanding of how digital media is changing political communication, preparing themselves for careers in politics, advocacy, campaigning and journalism. Topics will include: the political transparency of software; the relationship between politics, social media companies and the press; how to campaign and how to effect political change through digital communication.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Rhetoric is a skill to effectively inform, inspire and convince an audience through the use of language and imagery. Today, we most often see it used by advertisers, journalists and politicians to shape our views of products, policies and contemporary social issues. To be able to use rhetoric effectively - and to recognize when it is abused - is a most powerful skill for media professionals. This subject enhances students’ media and communication skills by developing their rhetoric skills in speaking and writing. Students will learn to identify and examine the persuasive techniques employed in various media genres before applying them in their own text production. Through in-class simulations, students will experience authentic industry practice in working in an advertising agency, as a freelancer and editor of a major news organisation, and as a professional speechwriter. Students will be exposed to different scenarios and tasks to develop the vital skills needed for their future professional careers. Subject material will help students discuss and challenge diverse points of views, critically evaluate opinions and arguments, identify and apply rhetorical techniques, and develop and deliver conclusive arguments across key media genres. Students will also learn essential strategies for planning, researching, and editing their work as well as that of others. All these skills will help students become more effective communicators and prepare for their future careers.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject, is a select entry subject to be co-taught by staff at the University of Melbourne and Fudan University, will critically engage with the role of emergent social media platforms in contemporary forms of public communication, with a particular focus on their impacts on and challenges for journalism and political communication. To this end, the subject will engage with debates surrounding the social and public impact of technological transformations, and how these can be understood; the challenges and opportunities presented by changing media forms and platforms for media industries, media professionals and frameworks of media regulation; the degree to which the affordances of digital media may work to challenge and/or extend existing social relations; and, finally, how social media serve to contribute to shifting spaces and practices of public communication, and contemporary debates surrounding the significance of this. In doing so, this subject will consider the relationship between processes of media transformation and their relation to broader processes of global social change, focusing in particular on how these have impacted on China and Australia respectively.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Audiovisual communication is an important sector in today’s transnational digital sphere. The training in key areas of audiovisual production is relevant for various professional areas in the media and communication industry. This subject is designed in a ‘workshop’ approach where students will work in small groups in order to gain experience in various areas of audiovisual production. The subject will familiarise students, for example with techniques of script writing, producing, shooting, and preparation of audiovisual content for online as well as broadcast delivery. Furthermore, principles of collaborative practice, studio directing, camera operation, sound recording, and post-production workflows will also be integral to the subject.

These techniques are delivered through project-related contexts using a project-based approach. It is aimed to deliver student productions online or other media platforms. Given the nature of the teaching of this subject, all students must consult with the subject coordinator prior to enrolment.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Since the end of the 1970s the world has undergone dramatic transformations that have in many ways deeply integrated the spheres of economy, culture, polity and society to an unprecedented degree. The world today is unrecognisable from that of the 1970s. This has been made possible largely through the development of information and communication technologies set upon a definable trajectory through identifiable political and economic choices made at critical periods. The subject will develop an understanding and approach to the network society that will be informed through a political economy perspective. Using the dynamics of neoliberal globalisation as the underlying foundation of the network society, it will show why the ICT revolution occurred when it did, and why it has taken the particular developmental trajectory that it has. Neoliberalism and the salience of market forces as the driver of the ICT revolution will be of particular interest in the development of the approach. The other critical dimension of the subject is that it will develop the political economy approach from a temporal perspective. That is to say, it will concentrate on the nature of speed (social, cultural, political and economic) that has undergone profound transformations since the late 1970s. What will be particularly important about this perspective is that students will gain insights into something they already recognise at some level of articulation, i.e. 'things speed up', but find difficulty in expressing intellectually why this is the case - and what the social, cultural, and personal consequences of speed are. Consequently an introduction to the concepts of social time - as opposed to the unreflective time of the clock - will form a critical element to the political economy perspective.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Over the course of the last thirty years, an 'associational revolution' has swept the world, as more and more civil society organisations have taken over tasks formerly assigned to states, formed cross-border advocacy campaigns to hold both states and corporations accountable for labour, environmental, and human rights violations, and formulated alternative development policies that run counter to the paradigms espoused by the World Bank and other multilateral lending organizations. While some argue that this associational revolution promises more participatory, expedient, and decentralized forms of transnational governance, others contend that it reflects little more than the ongoing privatisation of the public sphere at the hands of transnational capital. In this course, we evaluate these and alternative perspectives by exploring transformations in the structure of the global political-economy over the past thirty years; looking closely at the roles played by a variety of NGOs and CBOs as part of more multi-layered regimes of 'global governance'; analysing the shifts in state structures that have made these regimes possible; and teasing apart the ongoing tensions between various factions of what some have called, an emerging 'global civil society'. Case studies will be drawn from Africa, South Asia, and Latin America.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject examines various ways of knowing the environment. Students develop an understanding of the unprecedented transformation in the environment, the sciences, and in politics around environment and knowledge across the twentieth century. As part of their assessment students will study the knowledge practices of a particular environmental organisation becoming sensitised to historical, political and cultural influences on environmental knowledge.

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Questions of trust, effective communication, and judging credibility, are integral to the assessment of knowledge claims both within science and in the context of public debate. Questions about trust and legitimate communication consequently arise every day in a range of professional contexts, for example in scientific research and the dissemination of scientific knowledge, in journalism and media, public relations, and in police, accounting and development work, etc. But what makes one trustworthy? How do we pick out who the experts are? This course will interest students in a wide range of careers.

Questions to be covered:

Trust

• What is trust? What makes one trustworthy?
• Is there a decline in trust, in the media, in politicians, or in scientists for example?
• Do we need to trust our sources of information, and do they need to trust us?
• How do we manage conflicts that arise in relationships of trust?

Communication

• What indicators do people rely on when communicating with others?
• How do communication patterns vary from context to context, such as face-to-face, in broader media, and in ethically and politically contested public spaces?
• What makes someone a credible source of information?
• What role does the conveyance of quality information play in contested social debates, and what role should it play?
• Are public debates about communicating information or voicing substantive differences?

Expertise

• What makes someone an expert?
• What role do ‘experts’ play in public debate?
• Should we defer to experts?
• What if even the experts disagree?
• Can lay people contribute expertise?

View detailed information in the Handbook

From genetic modification to climate change, science seems to be embroiled in an ever-growing number of public controversies. Some of these controversies are international in scope. Others have unfolded in the distinctive environment of Australia’s public policy and research apparatus, sometimes with lessons for the international stage. Drawing on case studies, this subject observes and analyses the interactions of science, public discourse, and national and international policy formation. The subject will examine questions such as: What policy positions are taken and by which agencies? What are the dynamics of the interactions between them? What are the roles and limits of science and scientific evidence in such controversies? How may such controversies be resolved? Examples of areas of controversy that may be considered are: Genetics and Food Production (e.g. Mad-Cow Disease); Genetics and Biomedicine (e.g. Racial Profiling, Non-Invasive Prenatal Diagnosis); Alternatives to Western Medicine; Approaches to Greenhouse Gas Reduction; Nano Technologies; Energy Production; Water Policy; Digital Privacy and Surveillance; Freedom of Information and Expression in the Online World; Transhumanism; Geo-Engineering (e.g. Fracking); Climategate.

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The subject will equip students for navigating their careers in a world of changing business models. It also considers how journalists create a personal brand in a fracturing media landscape and how they develop an entrepreneurial spirit, which is both a mindset and a problem-solving skill set. The subject will focuses on web based publication and small and medium sized journalism enterprises, and the particular skill combination needed to make a commercial success of online journalism outlets, including those serving niche audiences. Students will explore the ways in which social media, including blogs, Twitter and Facebook, are being used to both gather information for journalistic work, and to publicise that work and gather an audience around it. As well as engaging in practical exercises, students will also be introduced to theoretical understandings of the public space, and the ways in which these are being altered by social media. Key examples of journalistic use of social media will be examined. The subject will also examine the managing of money, audiences and people in small to medium news media enterprises.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This unit will explore the practice and theoretical underpinnings of data journalism, whereby news content is organized around structured pieces of data, as opposed to conventionally structured news stories. Students will learn how to access key public databases, extract stories from them, and make the data available in visualisations that facilitate citizens’ own inquiries and investigations. Students will be acquainted with the history and current practice of data journalism, including key international examples.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject, is a select entry subject to be co-taught by staff at the University of Melbourne and Fudan University, will critically engage with the role of emergent social media platforms in contemporary forms of public communication, with a particular focus on their impacts on and challenges for journalism and political communication. To this end, the subject will engage with debates surrounding the social and public impact of technological transformations, and how these can be understood; the challenges and opportunities presented by changing media forms and platforms for media industries, media professionals and frameworks of media regulation; the degree to which the affordances of digital media may work to challenge and/or extend existing social relations; and, finally, how social media serve to contribute to shifting spaces and practices of public communication, and contemporary debates surrounding the significance of this. In doing so, this subject will consider the relationship between processes of media transformation and their relation to broader processes of global social change, focusing in particular on how these have impacted on China and Australia respectively.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject is designed to give students training in the knowledge and skills required to be effective online community managers. It presents advanced understanding of the theories, practices, responsibilities, and ethical considerations of managing online communities in participatory spaces, whether for brands or media organisations. Using practical examples and case studies it demonstrates the importance of excellent community management and engagement within the online communications space. Students will be given an opportunity to translate their knowledge into practice through assignments designed to engage them in the work of community management.

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This experiential learning subject introduces students to the fundamentals of social entrepreneurship, while equipping students with a practical understanding of social enterprise as a model to tackle social and/or environmental problems through trade. Working in small teams, students are introduced to a range of design thinking and social innovation frameworks. They draw on these frameworks to iteratively conceptualise, ‘pitch’, refine and develop a social enterprise ‘business model’ that appropriately responds to the needs of communities and society. To nurture and support development of ideas, the subject draws on real-world case studies as well as industry guests from the social enterprise ecosystem including social entrepreneurs, people with ‘lived-experience’, social finance and impact investment intermediaries, incubators and accelerators and leading scholars and thinkers in the field. Upon completing this subject, students will develop a critical understanding of the theoretical foundations of social entrepreneurship and how to develop a ‘business model’ for financially sustainable social impact. By doing so, the subject also offers a unique opportunity for students to apply conceptual knowledge and project management and business skills to real-world social and/or environmental challenges.

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This subject is designed to provide students with a comprehensive, multidisciplinary and professionally oriented understanding of Latin America, as viewed from the perspective of international relations. It gives students an overview of the salient features of Latin American history and culture combined with a practical, expert-delivered summary of current problems and opportunities in the region. In addition to the core lectures, guest presentations by senior Australian and Latin American diplomats and officials examine the region’s responses to globalisation and engagement with international institutions. Emphasis is placed on evolving relationships between Latin American countries, the United States, and Australia through case studies of national development, economic growth, and cultural exchange.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject involves a study of an approved topic in global public policy and international relations. Details of the program being offered will be available from the School. Students who complete this subject successfully should have demonstrated a specialist understanding of the topic, contributed effectively to the work of the seminar, shown a capacity for an advanced level of analysis and familiarised themselves with the latest directions of research into that particular topic.

This subject will be offered in conjunction with the University of Delhi and will be taught as an intensive in Australia and/or overseas.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject introduces students to the principles and practices of writing and editing for digital media. It provides students with an understanding of and practical skills in writing for different online contexts and genres, including websites, online essays, multimedia stories, social media content, and search engine optimisation. Students will apply these skills using their existing disciplinary expertise to develop and creative contribute to platforms focused on their professional industries.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject addresses ethical issues and legal constraints related to working in the arts and culture sector, including publishing for print and digital media. It will review existing ethical codes and the mechanisms established to police them, as well as offering an overview of how practices are shaped by law relating to such matters as intellectual property, contracts, negligence, privacy, defamation and respect for cultural differences. On successfully completing this subject, students will have gained an understanding of a wide range of ethical and legal considerations for their professional practice.

View detailed information in the Handbook

The Media and Communications Thesis subject requires students to design and deliver a substantial research project. Students will select an object of study, read widely in the relevant area, consult an appropriate methodology, and tools for analysing and interpreting the data they gather from their sources. Enrolment in the thesis is across two consecutive semesters and students must enrol in the subject in each semester to ensure they are meeting the full 37.5 point requirement for the year-long subject.

View detailed information in the Handbook

The Media and Communications Thesis subject requires students to design and deliver a substantial research project. Students will select an object of study, read widely in the relevant area, consult an appropriate methodology, and tools for analysing and interpreting the data they gather from their sources. Enrolment in the thesis is across two consecutive semesters and students must enrol in the subject in each semester to ensure they are meeting the full 37.5 point requirement for the year-long subject.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject introduces students to the research methods and skills they need to undertake a major independent research project, such as a thesis. The subject explores the key principles of research design, research methodologies and research ethics. Students in this subject prepare for their theses through a detailed examination of research principles, including: devising a research question, writing a research proposal, writing a research abstract, completing a literature review, and preparing a research ethics application.

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Students enrolled in this subject will undertake a placement in a professional working environment in conjunction with coursework intended to enhance their placement and their employability. The coursework component of the subject acts as preparation and additional support for the placement by conveying an understanding of organisations and operational aspects of organisations such as planning, communications, policy and equality in the workplace. The placement will give students direct exposure to professional practice in their chosen field, working under the guidance of a senior staff member with additional support from the subject coordinator. As well as taking part in the host organisation's day‐to‐day work, students will undertake fortnightly seminars and a research project of concrete and practical benefit to the host organisation or the broader industry. The students will have an opportunity to hear from industry professionals and receive feedback on their industry projects. Students seeking to undertake the research internship in their current place of employment must consult the subject coordinator.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject provides students with advanced understanding of globalised communication. It identifies processes of globalised communication, the infrastructures of digital/data communication in an international spectrum and key areas of research and professional practice. The first part of the subject has an emphasis on global media performance, industries, and audiences and their contribution to wider processes of digital transformation of societies in the Globlal North and Global South. The second part of the subject has a focus on professional practice in digital/data industries.

Students will be guided to develop own professional projects in the broader scope of globalized communication. Overall, the subject equips students with knowledge regarding (1) key developments of globalization and (2) relevant processes of professional practice.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Global Crisis Reporting examines studies and approaches to global communications and the reporting of crises, including disasters and humanitarian relief. The course examines the extent to which, how and why forms of coverage have changed in recent years, and considers how these changes have impacted on the way in which "crises" are constructed, mediated and communicated. It considers the possible impacts of such changes on national and international public opinion and political leaders, as well as on those immediately involved. Amongst the themes addressed are: the rise of digital technologies of news production and distribution and their impact on the nature of crisis reporting, arguments for and against a "journalism of attachment", the communication strategies of humanitarian organisations and the degree to which coverage of human suffering raises questions about the moral responsibility of news-makers. The subject also examines issues regarding the political impacts of contemporary crisis reporting, the nature and direction of communication flows, the rise of emergent practices of crisis communications and media activism and the degree to which transformations in the field may, or may not, serve to positively address the relations underpinning global crises.

View detailed information in the Handbook

The increasingly global nature of digital communication is producing a startling array of bodies taking responsibility for policy issues. These range from national governments to international policy organizations. Digital policy ranges from technical specifications and the allocation of spectra, to platform and content regulation, 'fake news' regulation in addition to safeguarding intellectual property and the protection of cultural heritage in addition to ethics of Artificial Intelligence. The international organizations have long histories (the International Telecommunications Union for example, founded in 1865) Some are non-governmental organisations or not-for-profit corporations, others are formed to administer treaties, or are organs of the United Nations.

However, crucial knowledge for all professionals in today's data world is how these policies balance the demands of the data subject, digital industries and national governments in varying degrees, and all play host to major lobbies and diplomacy. Some bodies have significant influence over the activities of others: the World Trade Organisation’s policy instruments have major impact on digital services.

The subject will assess case studies and encourage critical debates of digital policy development.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject examines the transformations of urban life and social belonging by focusing on the related impact of human mobility and new media and communication technologies. It will critically engage with the dominant sociological models for explaining global movement and the emergence of global, mobile media, and will test their relationship to theories of the nation state, diasporic cultures and new urban formations. In particular it will examine the formation of new hybrid identities, cosmopolitan organizations, transnational modes of agency and social interaction. This subject will address the complex cultural transformation of public space and the public sphere in contemporary society. It will situate this discussion in relation to underlying fears towards outsiders and ambivalence towards the impact of new technologies and mobility in general. On completion of this subject, students will be familiar with alternative perspectives for understanding the relation between global flows and local affiliations, and for understanding the emergence of new social spaces and practices in the diasporic cultures of contemporary cities.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject offers an advanced critical examination of the impact of digital technology on contemporary media industries and cultural practices. We will examine the way the internet and new modes of collaborative production in the Web 2.0 environment are driving the transformation of all media sectors, including cinema, music, video, gaming and television. Through case studies in these sectors and close analysis of contemporary internet practices, students will engage with key debates about digital culture, including the transformation of audiences, the emergence of new media platforms, the role of peer to peer networks and social media and the changing nature of power in the digital era.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject explores critical perspectives on digital platforms within media and communications studies. Digital platforms incorporate databases, algorithms, interfaces and infrastructures, and now play a significant role in mediating digital economies, cultural practices and social relations. Students will examine various theoretical, historical and methodological approaches for analyzing digital platforms, including their histories and social impacts. Within the subject workshops, students will consider debates around technology innovation, change and adoption, whilst also undertaking a research project to apply these ideas to a specific feature or function of a digital platform.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject explores the complex relationship between digital media and politics, broadly defined to include a range of political processes, roles and responsibilities. Using timely political case studies, students will analyse the different mechanisms by which these two systems influence each. They will learn to read the different affordances of digital media and assess how the logical operation of these tools preferences certain types of politics over others. Students will develop a critical understanding of how digital media is changing political communication, preparing themselves for careers in politics, advocacy, campaigning and journalism. Topics will include: the political transparency of software; the relationship between politics, social media companies and the press; how to campaign and how to effect political change through digital communication.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Rhetoric is a skill to effectively inform, inspire and convince an audience through the use of language and imagery. Today, we most often see it used by advertisers, journalists and politicians to shape our views of products, policies and contemporary social issues. To be able to use rhetoric effectively - and to recognize when it is abused - is a most powerful skill for media professionals. This subject enhances students’ media and communication skills by developing their rhetoric skills in speaking and writing. Students will learn to identify and examine the persuasive techniques employed in various media genres before applying them in their own text production. Through in-class simulations, students will experience authentic industry practice in working in an advertising agency, as a freelancer and editor of a major news organisation, and as a professional speechwriter. Students will be exposed to different scenarios and tasks to develop the vital skills needed for their future professional careers. Subject material will help students discuss and challenge diverse points of views, critically evaluate opinions and arguments, identify and apply rhetorical techniques, and develop and deliver conclusive arguments across key media genres. Students will also learn essential strategies for planning, researching, and editing their work as well as that of others. All these skills will help students become more effective communicators and prepare for their future careers.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject, is a select entry subject to be co-taught by staff at the University of Melbourne and Fudan University, will critically engage with the role of emergent social media platforms in contemporary forms of public communication, with a particular focus on their impacts on and challenges for journalism and political communication. To this end, the subject will engage with debates surrounding the social and public impact of technological transformations, and how these can be understood; the challenges and opportunities presented by changing media forms and platforms for media industries, media professionals and frameworks of media regulation; the degree to which the affordances of digital media may work to challenge and/or extend existing social relations; and, finally, how social media serve to contribute to shifting spaces and practices of public communication, and contemporary debates surrounding the significance of this. In doing so, this subject will consider the relationship between processes of media transformation and their relation to broader processes of global social change, focusing in particular on how these have impacted on China and Australia respectively.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Audiovisual communication is an important sector in today’s transnational digital sphere. The training in key areas of audiovisual production is relevant for various professional areas in the media and communication industry. This subject is designed in a ‘workshop’ approach where students will work in small groups in order to gain experience in various areas of audiovisual production. The subject will familiarise students, for example with techniques of script writing, producing, shooting, and preparation of audiovisual content for online as well as broadcast delivery. Furthermore, principles of collaborative practice, studio directing, camera operation, sound recording, and post-production workflows will also be integral to the subject.

These techniques are delivered through project-related contexts using a project-based approach. It is aimed to deliver student productions online or other media platforms. Given the nature of the teaching of this subject, all students must consult with the subject coordinator prior to enrolment.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Since the end of the 1970s the world has undergone dramatic transformations that have in many ways deeply integrated the spheres of economy, culture, polity and society to an unprecedented degree. The world today is unrecognisable from that of the 1970s. This has been made possible largely through the development of information and communication technologies set upon a definable trajectory through identifiable political and economic choices made at critical periods. The subject will develop an understanding and approach to the network society that will be informed through a political economy perspective. Using the dynamics of neoliberal globalisation as the underlying foundation of the network society, it will show why the ICT revolution occurred when it did, and why it has taken the particular developmental trajectory that it has. Neoliberalism and the salience of market forces as the driver of the ICT revolution will be of particular interest in the development of the approach. The other critical dimension of the subject is that it will develop the political economy approach from a temporal perspective. That is to say, it will concentrate on the nature of speed (social, cultural, political and economic) that has undergone profound transformations since the late 1970s. What will be particularly important about this perspective is that students will gain insights into something they already recognise at some level of articulation, i.e. 'things speed up', but find difficulty in expressing intellectually why this is the case - and what the social, cultural, and personal consequences of speed are. Consequently an introduction to the concepts of social time - as opposed to the unreflective time of the clock - will form a critical element to the political economy perspective.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Over the course of the last thirty years, an 'associational revolution' has swept the world, as more and more civil society organisations have taken over tasks formerly assigned to states, formed cross-border advocacy campaigns to hold both states and corporations accountable for labour, environmental, and human rights violations, and formulated alternative development policies that run counter to the paradigms espoused by the World Bank and other multilateral lending organizations. While some argue that this associational revolution promises more participatory, expedient, and decentralized forms of transnational governance, others contend that it reflects little more than the ongoing privatisation of the public sphere at the hands of transnational capital. In this course, we evaluate these and alternative perspectives by exploring transformations in the structure of the global political-economy over the past thirty years; looking closely at the roles played by a variety of NGOs and CBOs as part of more multi-layered regimes of 'global governance'; analysing the shifts in state structures that have made these regimes possible; and teasing apart the ongoing tensions between various factions of what some have called, an emerging 'global civil society'. Case studies will be drawn from Africa, South Asia, and Latin America.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject examines various ways of knowing the environment. Students develop an understanding of the unprecedented transformation in the environment, the sciences, and in politics around environment and knowledge across the twentieth century. As part of their assessment students will study the knowledge practices of a particular environmental organisation becoming sensitised to historical, political and cultural influences on environmental knowledge.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Questions of trust, effective communication, and judging credibility, are integral to the assessment of knowledge claims both within science and in the context of public debate. Questions about trust and legitimate communication consequently arise every day in a range of professional contexts, for example in scientific research and the dissemination of scientific knowledge, in journalism and media, public relations, and in police, accounting and development work, etc. But what makes one trustworthy? How do we pick out who the experts are? This course will interest students in a wide range of careers.

Questions to be covered:

Trust

• What is trust? What makes one trustworthy?
• Is there a decline in trust, in the media, in politicians, or in scientists for example?
• Do we need to trust our sources of information, and do they need to trust us?
• How do we manage conflicts that arise in relationships of trust?

Communication

• What indicators do people rely on when communicating with others?
• How do communication patterns vary from context to context, such as face-to-face, in broader media, and in ethically and politically contested public spaces?
• What makes someone a credible source of information?
• What role does the conveyance of quality information play in contested social debates, and what role should it play?
• Are public debates about communicating information or voicing substantive differences?

Expertise

• What makes someone an expert?
• What role do ‘experts’ play in public debate?
• Should we defer to experts?
• What if even the experts disagree?
• Can lay people contribute expertise?

View detailed information in the Handbook

From genetic modification to climate change, science seems to be embroiled in an ever-growing number of public controversies. Some of these controversies are international in scope. Others have unfolded in the distinctive environment of Australia’s public policy and research apparatus, sometimes with lessons for the international stage. Drawing on case studies, this subject observes and analyses the interactions of science, public discourse, and national and international policy formation. The subject will examine questions such as: What policy positions are taken and by which agencies? What are the dynamics of the interactions between them? What are the roles and limits of science and scientific evidence in such controversies? How may such controversies be resolved? Examples of areas of controversy that may be considered are: Genetics and Food Production (e.g. Mad-Cow Disease); Genetics and Biomedicine (e.g. Racial Profiling, Non-Invasive Prenatal Diagnosis); Alternatives to Western Medicine; Approaches to Greenhouse Gas Reduction; Nano Technologies; Energy Production; Water Policy; Digital Privacy and Surveillance; Freedom of Information and Expression in the Online World; Transhumanism; Geo-Engineering (e.g. Fracking); Climategate.

View detailed information in the Handbook

The subject will equip students for navigating their careers in a world of changing business models. It also considers how journalists create a personal brand in a fracturing media landscape and how they develop an entrepreneurial spirit, which is both a mindset and a problem-solving skill set. The subject will focuses on web based publication and small and medium sized journalism enterprises, and the particular skill combination needed to make a commercial success of online journalism outlets, including those serving niche audiences. Students will explore the ways in which social media, including blogs, Twitter and Facebook, are being used to both gather information for journalistic work, and to publicise that work and gather an audience around it. As well as engaging in practical exercises, students will also be introduced to theoretical understandings of the public space, and the ways in which these are being altered by social media. Key examples of journalistic use of social media will be examined. The subject will also examine the managing of money, audiences and people in small to medium news media enterprises.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This unit will explore the practice and theoretical underpinnings of data journalism, whereby news content is organized around structured pieces of data, as opposed to conventionally structured news stories. Students will learn how to access key public databases, extract stories from them, and make the data available in visualisations that facilitate citizens’ own inquiries and investigations. Students will be acquainted with the history and current practice of data journalism, including key international examples.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject, is a select entry subject to be co-taught by staff at the University of Melbourne and Fudan University, will critically engage with the role of emergent social media platforms in contemporary forms of public communication, with a particular focus on their impacts on and challenges for journalism and political communication. To this end, the subject will engage with debates surrounding the social and public impact of technological transformations, and how these can be understood; the challenges and opportunities presented by changing media forms and platforms for media industries, media professionals and frameworks of media regulation; the degree to which the affordances of digital media may work to challenge and/or extend existing social relations; and, finally, how social media serve to contribute to shifting spaces and practices of public communication, and contemporary debates surrounding the significance of this. In doing so, this subject will consider the relationship between processes of media transformation and their relation to broader processes of global social change, focusing in particular on how these have impacted on China and Australia respectively.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject is designed to give students training in the knowledge and skills required to be effective online community managers. It presents advanced understanding of the theories, practices, responsibilities, and ethical considerations of managing online communities in participatory spaces, whether for brands or media organisations. Using practical examples and case studies it demonstrates the importance of excellent community management and engagement within the online communications space. Students will be given an opportunity to translate their knowledge into practice through assignments designed to engage them in the work of community management.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This experiential learning subject introduces students to the fundamentals of social entrepreneurship, while equipping students with a practical understanding of social enterprise as a model to tackle social and/or environmental problems through trade. Working in small teams, students are introduced to a range of design thinking and social innovation frameworks. They draw on these frameworks to iteratively conceptualise, ‘pitch’, refine and develop a social enterprise ‘business model’ that appropriately responds to the needs of communities and society. To nurture and support development of ideas, the subject draws on real-world case studies as well as industry guests from the social enterprise ecosystem including social entrepreneurs, people with ‘lived-experience’, social finance and impact investment intermediaries, incubators and accelerators and leading scholars and thinkers in the field. Upon completing this subject, students will develop a critical understanding of the theoretical foundations of social entrepreneurship and how to develop a ‘business model’ for financially sustainable social impact. By doing so, the subject also offers a unique opportunity for students to apply conceptual knowledge and project management and business skills to real-world social and/or environmental challenges.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject is designed to provide students with a comprehensive, multidisciplinary and professionally oriented understanding of Latin America, as viewed from the perspective of international relations. It gives students an overview of the salient features of Latin American history and culture combined with a practical, expert-delivered summary of current problems and opportunities in the region. In addition to the core lectures, guest presentations by senior Australian and Latin American diplomats and officials examine the region’s responses to globalisation and engagement with international institutions. Emphasis is placed on evolving relationships between Latin American countries, the United States, and Australia through case studies of national development, economic growth, and cultural exchange.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject involves a study of an approved topic in global public policy and international relations. Details of the program being offered will be available from the School. Students who complete this subject successfully should have demonstrated a specialist understanding of the topic, contributed effectively to the work of the seminar, shown a capacity for an advanced level of analysis and familiarised themselves with the latest directions of research into that particular topic.

This subject will be offered in conjunction with the University of Delhi and will be taught as an intensive in Australia and/or overseas.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject introduces students to the principles and practices of writing and editing for digital media. It provides students with an understanding of and practical skills in writing for different online contexts and genres, including websites, online essays, multimedia stories, social media content, and search engine optimisation. Students will apply these skills using their existing disciplinary expertise to develop and creative contribute to platforms focused on their professional industries.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject addresses ethical issues and legal constraints related to working in the arts and culture sector, including publishing for print and digital media. It will review existing ethical codes and the mechanisms established to police them, as well as offering an overview of how practices are shaped by law relating to such matters as intellectual property, contracts, negligence, privacy, defamation and respect for cultural differences. On successfully completing this subject, students will have gained an understanding of a wide range of ethical and legal considerations for their professional practice.

View detailed information in the Handbook

The Media and Communications Thesis subject requires students to design and deliver a substantial research project. Students will select an object of study, read widely in the relevant area, consult an appropriate methodology, and tools for analysing and interpreting the data they gather from their sources. Enrolment in the thesis is across two consecutive semesters and students must enrol in the subject in each semester to ensure they are meeting the full 37.5 point requirement for the year-long subject.

View detailed information in the Handbook

The Media and Communications Thesis subject requires students to design and deliver a substantial research project. Students will select an object of study, read widely in the relevant area, consult an appropriate methodology, and tools for analysing and interpreting the data they gather from their sources. Enrolment in the thesis is across two consecutive semesters and students must enrol in the subject in each semester to ensure they are meeting the full 37.5 point requirement for the year-long subject.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject introduces students to the research methods and skills they need to undertake a major independent research project, such as a thesis. The subject explores the key principles of research design, research methodologies and research ethics. Students in this subject prepare for their theses through a detailed examination of research principles, including: devising a research question, writing a research proposal, writing a research abstract, completing a literature review, and preparing a research ethics application.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Students enrolled in this subject will undertake a placement in a professional working environment in conjunction with coursework intended to enhance their placement and their employability. The coursework component of the subject acts as preparation and additional support for the placement by conveying an understanding of organisations and operational aspects of organisations such as planning, communications, policy and equality in the workplace. The placement will give students direct exposure to professional practice in their chosen field, working under the guidance of a senior staff member with additional support from the subject coordinator. As well as taking part in the host organisation's day‐to‐day work, students will undertake fortnightly seminars and a research project of concrete and practical benefit to the host organisation or the broader industry. The students will have an opportunity to hear from industry professionals and receive feedback on their industry projects. Students seeking to undertake the research internship in their current place of employment must consult the subject coordinator.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject provides students with advanced understanding of globalised communication. It identifies processes of globalised communication, the infrastructures of digital/data communication in an international spectrum and key areas of research and professional practice. The first part of the subject has an emphasis on global media performance, industries, and audiences and their contribution to wider processes of digital transformation of societies in the Globlal North and Global South. The second part of the subject has a focus on professional practice in digital/data industries.

Students will be guided to develop own professional projects in the broader scope of globalized communication. Overall, the subject equips students with knowledge regarding (1) key developments of globalization and (2) relevant processes of professional practice.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Global Crisis Reporting examines studies and approaches to global communications and the reporting of crises, including disasters and humanitarian relief. The course examines the extent to which, how and why forms of coverage have changed in recent years, and considers how these changes have impacted on the way in which "crises" are constructed, mediated and communicated. It considers the possible impacts of such changes on national and international public opinion and political leaders, as well as on those immediately involved. Amongst the themes addressed are: the rise of digital technologies of news production and distribution and their impact on the nature of crisis reporting, arguments for and against a "journalism of attachment", the communication strategies of humanitarian organisations and the degree to which coverage of human suffering raises questions about the moral responsibility of news-makers. The subject also examines issues regarding the political impacts of contemporary crisis reporting, the nature and direction of communication flows, the rise of emergent practices of crisis communications and media activism and the degree to which transformations in the field may, or may not, serve to positively address the relations underpinning global crises.

View detailed information in the Handbook

The increasingly global nature of digital communication is producing a startling array of bodies taking responsibility for policy issues. These range from national governments to international policy organizations. Digital policy ranges from technical specifications and the allocation of spectra, to platform and content regulation, 'fake news' regulation in addition to safeguarding intellectual property and the protection of cultural heritage in addition to ethics of Artificial Intelligence. The international organizations have long histories (the International Telecommunications Union for example, founded in 1865) Some are non-governmental organisations or not-for-profit corporations, others are formed to administer treaties, or are organs of the United Nations.

However, crucial knowledge for all professionals in today's data world is how these policies balance the demands of the data subject, digital industries and national governments in varying degrees, and all play host to major lobbies and diplomacy. Some bodies have significant influence over the activities of others: the World Trade Organisation’s policy instruments have major impact on digital services.

The subject will assess case studies and encourage critical debates of digital policy development.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject examines the transformations of urban life and social belonging by focusing on the related impact of human mobility and new media and communication technologies. It will critically engage with the dominant sociological models for explaining global movement and the emergence of global, mobile media, and will test their relationship to theories of the nation state, diasporic cultures and new urban formations. In particular it will examine the formation of new hybrid identities, cosmopolitan organizations, transnational modes of agency and social interaction. This subject will address the complex cultural transformation of public space and the public sphere in contemporary society. It will situate this discussion in relation to underlying fears towards outsiders and ambivalence towards the impact of new technologies and mobility in general. On completion of this subject, students will be familiar with alternative perspectives for understanding the relation between global flows and local affiliations, and for understanding the emergence of new social spaces and practices in the diasporic cultures of contemporary cities.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject offers an advanced critical examination of the impact of digital technology on contemporary media industries and cultural practices. We will examine the way the internet and new modes of collaborative production in the Web 2.0 environment are driving the transformation of all media sectors, including cinema, music, video, gaming and television. Through case studies in these sectors and close analysis of contemporary internet practices, students will engage with key debates about digital culture, including the transformation of audiences, the emergence of new media platforms, the role of peer to peer networks and social media and the changing nature of power in the digital era.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject explores critical perspectives on digital platforms within media and communications studies. Digital platforms incorporate databases, algorithms, interfaces and infrastructures, and now play a significant role in mediating digital economies, cultural practices and social relations. Students will examine various theoretical, historical and methodological approaches for analyzing digital platforms, including their histories and social impacts. Within the subject workshops, students will consider debates around technology innovation, change and adoption, whilst also undertaking a research project to apply these ideas to a specific feature or function of a digital platform.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject explores the complex relationship between digital media and politics, broadly defined to include a range of political processes, roles and responsibilities. Using timely political case studies, students will analyse the different mechanisms by which these two systems influence each. They will learn to read the different affordances of digital media and assess how the logical operation of these tools preferences certain types of politics over others. Students will develop a critical understanding of how digital media is changing political communication, preparing themselves for careers in politics, advocacy, campaigning and journalism. Topics will include: the political transparency of software; the relationship between politics, social media companies and the press; how to campaign and how to effect political change through digital communication.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Rhetoric is a skill to effectively inform, inspire and convince an audience through the use of language and imagery. Today, we most often see it used by advertisers, journalists and politicians to shape our views of products, policies and contemporary social issues. To be able to use rhetoric effectively - and to recognize when it is abused - is a most powerful skill for media professionals. This subject enhances students’ media and communication skills by developing their rhetoric skills in speaking and writing. Students will learn to identify and examine the persuasive techniques employed in various media genres before applying them in their own text production. Through in-class simulations, students will experience authentic industry practice in working in an advertising agency, as a freelancer and editor of a major news organisation, and as a professional speechwriter. Students will be exposed to different scenarios and tasks to develop the vital skills needed for their future professional careers. Subject material will help students discuss and challenge diverse points of views, critically evaluate opinions and arguments, identify and apply rhetorical techniques, and develop and deliver conclusive arguments across key media genres. Students will also learn essential strategies for planning, researching, and editing their work as well as that of others. All these skills will help students become more effective communicators and prepare for their future careers.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject, is a select entry subject to be co-taught by staff at the University of Melbourne and Fudan University, will critically engage with the role of emergent social media platforms in contemporary forms of public communication, with a particular focus on their impacts on and challenges for journalism and political communication. To this end, the subject will engage with debates surrounding the social and public impact of technological transformations, and how these can be understood; the challenges and opportunities presented by changing media forms and platforms for media industries, media professionals and frameworks of media regulation; the degree to which the affordances of digital media may work to challenge and/or extend existing social relations; and, finally, how social media serve to contribute to shifting spaces and practices of public communication, and contemporary debates surrounding the significance of this. In doing so, this subject will consider the relationship between processes of media transformation and their relation to broader processes of global social change, focusing in particular on how these have impacted on China and Australia respectively.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Audiovisual communication is an important sector in today’s transnational digital sphere. The training in key areas of audiovisual production is relevant for various professional areas in the media and communication industry. This subject is designed in a ‘workshop’ approach where students will work in small groups in order to gain experience in various areas of audiovisual production. The subject will familiarise students, for example with techniques of script writing, producing, shooting, and preparation of audiovisual content for online as well as broadcast delivery. Furthermore, principles of collaborative practice, studio directing, camera operation, sound recording, and post-production workflows will also be integral to the subject.

These techniques are delivered through project-related contexts using a project-based approach. It is aimed to deliver student productions online or other media platforms. Given the nature of the teaching of this subject, all students must consult with the subject coordinator prior to enrolment.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Since the end of the 1970s the world has undergone dramatic transformations that have in many ways deeply integrated the spheres of economy, culture, polity and society to an unprecedented degree. The world today is unrecognisable from that of the 1970s. This has been made possible largely through the development of information and communication technologies set upon a definable trajectory through identifiable political and economic choices made at critical periods. The subject will develop an understanding and approach to the network society that will be informed through a political economy perspective. Using the dynamics of neoliberal globalisation as the underlying foundation of the network society, it will show why the ICT revolution occurred when it did, and why it has taken the particular developmental trajectory that it has. Neoliberalism and the salience of market forces as the driver of the ICT revolution will be of particular interest in the development of the approach. The other critical dimension of the subject is that it will develop the political economy approach from a temporal perspective. That is to say, it will concentrate on the nature of speed (social, cultural, political and economic) that has undergone profound transformations since the late 1970s. What will be particularly important about this perspective is that students will gain insights into something they already recognise at some level of articulation, i.e. 'things speed up', but find difficulty in expressing intellectually why this is the case - and what the social, cultural, and personal consequences of speed are. Consequently an introduction to the concepts of social time - as opposed to the unreflective time of the clock - will form a critical element to the political economy perspective.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Over the course of the last thirty years, an 'associational revolution' has swept the world, as more and more civil society organisations have taken over tasks formerly assigned to states, formed cross-border advocacy campaigns to hold both states and corporations accountable for labour, environmental, and human rights violations, and formulated alternative development policies that run counter to the paradigms espoused by the World Bank and other multilateral lending organizations. While some argue that this associational revolution promises more participatory, expedient, and decentralized forms of transnational governance, others contend that it reflects little more than the ongoing privatisation of the public sphere at the hands of transnational capital. In this course, we evaluate these and alternative perspectives by exploring transformations in the structure of the global political-economy over the past thirty years; looking closely at the roles played by a variety of NGOs and CBOs as part of more multi-layered regimes of 'global governance'; analysing the shifts in state structures that have made these regimes possible; and teasing apart the ongoing tensions between various factions of what some have called, an emerging 'global civil society'. Case studies will be drawn from Africa, South Asia, and Latin America.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject examines various ways of knowing the environment. Students develop an understanding of the unprecedented transformation in the environment, the sciences, and in politics around environment and knowledge across the twentieth century. As part of their assessment students will study the knowledge practices of a particular environmental organisation becoming sensitised to historical, political and cultural influences on environmental knowledge.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Questions of trust, effective communication, and judging credibility, are integral to the assessment of knowledge claims both within science and in the context of public debate. Questions about trust and legitimate communication consequently arise every day in a range of professional contexts, for example in scientific research and the dissemination of scientific knowledge, in journalism and media, public relations, and in police, accounting and development work, etc. But what makes one trustworthy? How do we pick out who the experts are? This course will interest students in a wide range of careers.

Questions to be covered:

Trust

• What is trust? What makes one trustworthy?
• Is there a decline in trust, in the media, in politicians, or in scientists for example?
• Do we need to trust our sources of information, and do they need to trust us?
• How do we manage conflicts that arise in relationships of trust?

Communication

• What indicators do people rely on when communicating with others?
• How do communication patterns vary from context to context, such as face-to-face, in broader media, and in ethically and politically contested public spaces?
• What makes someone a credible source of information?
• What role does the conveyance of quality information play in contested social debates, and what role should it play?
• Are public debates about communicating information or voicing substantive differences?

Expertise

• What makes someone an expert?
• What role do ‘experts’ play in public debate?
• Should we defer to experts?
• What if even the experts disagree?
• Can lay people contribute expertise?

View detailed information in the Handbook

From genetic modification to climate change, science seems to be embroiled in an ever-growing number of public controversies. Some of these controversies are international in scope. Others have unfolded in the distinctive environment of Australia’s public policy and research apparatus, sometimes with lessons for the international stage. Drawing on case studies, this subject observes and analyses the interactions of science, public discourse, and national and international policy formation. The subject will examine questions such as: What policy positions are taken and by which agencies? What are the dynamics of the interactions between them? What are the roles and limits of science and scientific evidence in such controversies? How may such controversies be resolved? Examples of areas of controversy that may be considered are: Genetics and Food Production (e.g. Mad-Cow Disease); Genetics and Biomedicine (e.g. Racial Profiling, Non-Invasive Prenatal Diagnosis); Alternatives to Western Medicine; Approaches to Greenhouse Gas Reduction; Nano Technologies; Energy Production; Water Policy; Digital Privacy and Surveillance; Freedom of Information and Expression in the Online World; Transhumanism; Geo-Engineering (e.g. Fracking); Climategate.

View detailed information in the Handbook

The subject will equip students for navigating their careers in a world of changing business models. It also considers how journalists create a personal brand in a fracturing media landscape and how they develop an entrepreneurial spirit, which is both a mindset and a problem-solving skill set. The subject will focuses on web based publication and small and medium sized journalism enterprises, and the particular skill combination needed to make a commercial success of online journalism outlets, including those serving niche audiences. Students will explore the ways in which social media, including blogs, Twitter and Facebook, are being used to both gather information for journalistic work, and to publicise that work and gather an audience around it. As well as engaging in practical exercises, students will also be introduced to theoretical understandings of the public space, and the ways in which these are being altered by social media. Key examples of journalistic use of social media will be examined. The subject will also examine the managing of money, audiences and people in small to medium news media enterprises.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This unit will explore the practice and theoretical underpinnings of data journalism, whereby news content is organized around structured pieces of data, as opposed to conventionally structured news stories. Students will learn how to access key public databases, extract stories from them, and make the data available in visualisations that facilitate citizens’ own inquiries and investigations. Students will be acquainted with the history and current practice of data journalism, including key international examples.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject, is a select entry subject to be co-taught by staff at the University of Melbourne and Fudan University, will critically engage with the role of emergent social media platforms in contemporary forms of public communication, with a particular focus on their impacts on and challenges for journalism and political communication. To this end, the subject will engage with debates surrounding the social and public impact of technological transformations, and how these can be understood; the challenges and opportunities presented by changing media forms and platforms for media industries, media professionals and frameworks of media regulation; the degree to which the affordances of digital media may work to challenge and/or extend existing social relations; and, finally, how social media serve to contribute to shifting spaces and practices of public communication, and contemporary debates surrounding the significance of this. In doing so, this subject will consider the relationship between processes of media transformation and their relation to broader processes of global social change, focusing in particular on how these have impacted on China and Australia respectively.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject is designed to give students training in the knowledge and skills required to be effective online community managers. It presents advanced understanding of the theories, practices, responsibilities, and ethical considerations of managing online communities in participatory spaces, whether for brands or media organisations. Using practical examples and case studies it demonstrates the importance of excellent community management and engagement within the online communications space. Students will be given an opportunity to translate their knowledge into practice through assignments designed to engage them in the work of community management.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This experiential learning subject introduces students to the fundamentals of social entrepreneurship, while equipping students with a practical understanding of social enterprise as a model to tackle social and/or environmental problems through trade. Working in small teams, students are introduced to a range of design thinking and social innovation frameworks. They draw on these frameworks to iteratively conceptualise, ‘pitch’, refine and develop a social enterprise ‘business model’ that appropriately responds to the needs of communities and society. To nurture and support development of ideas, the subject draws on real-world case studies as well as industry guests from the social enterprise ecosystem including social entrepreneurs, people with ‘lived-experience’, social finance and impact investment intermediaries, incubators and accelerators and leading scholars and thinkers in the field. Upon completing this subject, students will develop a critical understanding of the theoretical foundations of social entrepreneurship and how to develop a ‘business model’ for financially sustainable social impact. By doing so, the subject also offers a unique opportunity for students to apply conceptual knowledge and project management and business skills to real-world social and/or environmental challenges.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject is designed to provide students with a comprehensive, multidisciplinary and professionally oriented understanding of Latin America, as viewed from the perspective of international relations. It gives students an overview of the salient features of Latin American history and culture combined with a practical, expert-delivered summary of current problems and opportunities in the region. In addition to the core lectures, guest presentations by senior Australian and Latin American diplomats and officials examine the region’s responses to globalisation and engagement with international institutions. Emphasis is placed on evolving relationships between Latin American countries, the United States, and Australia through case studies of national development, economic growth, and cultural exchange.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject involves a study of an approved topic in global public policy and international relations. Details of the program being offered will be available from the School. Students who complete this subject successfully should have demonstrated a specialist understanding of the topic, contributed effectively to the work of the seminar, shown a capacity for an advanced level of analysis and familiarised themselves with the latest directions of research into that particular topic.

This subject will be offered in conjunction with the University of Delhi and will be taught as an intensive in Australia and/or overseas.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject introduces students to the principles and practices of writing and editing for digital media. It provides students with an understanding of and practical skills in writing for different online contexts and genres, including websites, online essays, multimedia stories, social media content, and search engine optimisation. Students will apply these skills using their existing disciplinary expertise to develop and creative contribute to platforms focused on their professional industries.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject addresses ethical issues and legal constraints related to working in the arts and culture sector, including publishing for print and digital media. It will review existing ethical codes and the mechanisms established to police them, as well as offering an overview of how practices are shaped by law relating to such matters as intellectual property, contracts, negligence, privacy, defamation and respect for cultural differences. On successfully completing this subject, students will have gained an understanding of a wide range of ethical and legal considerations for their professional practice.

View detailed information in the Handbook

The Media and Communications Thesis subject requires students to design and deliver a substantial research project. Students will select an object of study, read widely in the relevant area, consult an appropriate methodology, and tools for analysing and interpreting the data they gather from their sources. Enrolment in the thesis is across two consecutive semesters and students must enrol in the subject in each semester to ensure they are meeting the full 37.5 point requirement for the year-long subject.

View detailed information in the Handbook

The Media and Communications Thesis subject requires students to design and deliver a substantial research project. Students will select an object of study, read widely in the relevant area, consult an appropriate methodology, and tools for analysing and interpreting the data they gather from their sources. Enrolment in the thesis is across two consecutive semesters and students must enrol in the subject in each semester to ensure they are meeting the full 37.5 point requirement for the year-long subject.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject introduces students to the research methods and skills they need to undertake a major independent research project, such as a thesis. The subject explores the key principles of research design, research methodologies and research ethics. Students in this subject prepare for their theses through a detailed examination of research principles, including: devising a research question, writing a research proposal, writing a research abstract, completing a literature review, and preparing a research ethics application.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Students enrolled in this subject will undertake a placement in a professional working environment in conjunction with coursework intended to enhance their placement and their employability. The coursework component of the subject acts as preparation and additional support for the placement by conveying an understanding of organisations and operational aspects of organisations such as planning, communications, policy and equality in the workplace. The placement will give students direct exposure to professional practice in their chosen field, working under the guidance of a senior staff member with additional support from the subject coordinator. As well as taking part in the host organisation's day‐to‐day work, students will undertake fortnightly seminars and a research project of concrete and practical benefit to the host organisation or the broader industry. The students will have an opportunity to hear from industry professionals and receive feedback on their industry projects. Students seeking to undertake the research internship in their current place of employment must consult the subject coordinator.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject provides students with advanced understanding of globalised communication. It identifies processes of globalised communication, the infrastructures of digital/data communication in an international spectrum and key areas of research and professional practice. The first part of the subject has an emphasis on global media performance, industries, and audiences and their contribution to wider processes of digital transformation of societies in the Globlal North and Global South. The second part of the subject has a focus on professional practice in digital/data industries.

Students will be guided to develop own professional projects in the broader scope of globalized communication. Overall, the subject equips students with knowledge regarding (1) key developments of globalization and (2) relevant processes of professional practice.

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