Overview
This course develops critical approaches to contemporary cultural production, everyday media, and the institutions through which culture is created, circulated, interpreted, and governed. It introduces major debates and methods in cultural studies, including ideology, hegemony, discourse, mediation, spectatorship, popular culture, globalization, platform capitalism, consumer culture, algorithmic recommendation, cultural memory, ecology, and the relationship between culture and power.
Students examine current and recent examples from film, television, music, visual art, fashion, gaming, social media, advertising, architecture, performance, and digital communities. Foundational theoretical perspectives are paired with close analysis of cultural texts, practices, technologies, and institutions. Particular attention is given to authorship, audiences, labor, ownership, identity, representation, misinformation, surveillance, and the social effects of technological change.
The course develops research, interpretive, and communication skills. Students learn to locate and assess sources, distinguish description from analysis, compare theoretical viewpoints, construct evidence-based arguments, acknowledge contested and marginalized perspectives, participate constructively in debate, and produce clear scholarly and public-facing writing.
Learning Outcomes
- Apply major cultural studies frameworks accurately to contemporary cultural texts, practices, and institutions.
- Analyze formal, representational, technological, and cultural features in relation to one another.
- Evaluate how institutions, ownership structures, labor conditions, and technologies influence cultural production and reception.
- Compare competing theoretical interpretations of ideology, power, identity, mediation, and cultural value.
- Conduct independent research using credible scholarly and public sources.
- Construct evidence-based arguments that distinguish description, interpretation, and evaluation.
- Participate constructively in critical debate by engaging opposing and marginalized perspectives.
- Produce clear, coherent scholarly and public-facing analyses of contemporary culture.
Timetable
| Type | Length | Frequency | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 2 hours | Weekly | All semester |
| Tutorial | 1 hour | Weekly | All semester |
| Workshop | 2 hours | Fortnightly | All semester |
Assessment Schedule
| Type | Description | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Assignment | Reading responses (6 × 5%) | 30.00% |
| Tutorial | Seminar facilitation | 10.00% |
| Assignment | Comparative cultural analysis | 20.00% |
| Capstone | Research essay or multimedia critical project | 25.00% |
| Exam | Final synthesis examination | 15.00% |
Prerequisites
Teaching Staff & Programs
This course is delivered jointly by faculty from the participating programs listed below. In line with the Douchewater Way, the University of Sexology tailors core instruction directly to each cohort's specific discipline — adapting curriculum to program needs rather than forcing students into a one-size-fits-all model. Learn more about our approach at The Douchewater Way.
