Critical issues of media, culture and creative cities

This course will provide an overview of some critical issues of media, culture, and creative cities. The purpose is to shed light on specific expressions of far-reaching concerns in our media-driven world. We do so by drawing on key concepts and empirical findings from the social sciences and related disciplines. We also use a comparative approach, in part to clarify local and regional dynamics. Topics include cultural identity and representation, soft power, narrative, media industries, creativity and the imagination, and fandom. Through various case studies and with guest speakers, we will evaluate issues that face professionals in urban media and creative industries. Class discussion is an important part of this course.