Seminar-Problems in Comm Studies (425-0-4)

Topic

Audience Studies/Audience Engagement and Interacti

Instructors

Stephanie Lynn Edgerly

Meeting Info

McCormick Foundation Ctr 3107: Wed 3:00PM - 5:50PM

Overview of class

This seminar explores of the evolving field of Audience Studies, with a focus on audience engagement and interaction in the contemporary media environment. The course examines the shift from passive to active audience paradigms, analyzing how audiences interpret, respond to, and participate in media and society. Through a critical review of key theories and concepts—such as uses and gratifications, media repertoires, and participatory culture—students will engage with diverse perspectives on audience behavior and agency. Special emphasis will be placed on digital media's impact, exploring phenomena such as fan culture, hybrid media, citizenship norms, and the role of data analytics in understanding audiences. This seminar will expose students to a variety of scholarly approaches (theoretical, methodological, empirical, epistemological) related to politics, entertainment media, and journalism. By the end of the seminar, students will have an interdisciplinary understanding of audiences, as well as the tools to conduct innovative research in this dynamic field.

Class Attributes

Graduate Students Only