Sociological Theories
What is the feminist sociological theory?
The sociological theory holds that gender inequalities are universal and socially constructed. The goal is to achieve gender equality in all aspects of society.
What is an opinion column?
An opinion piece is an article, usually published in a newspaper or magazine, that mainly reflects the author's opinion about a subject. Opinion pieces are featured in many periodicals.
What is mass media?
A means of communication: print, radio, internet, television
Large-scale organisations which use these technologies to communicate with big numbers of people
What is the Big 5+?
Audience and Purpose
Content and Theme
Tone and Mood
Stylistic Devices
Structure
Context
Explain the sociological theory: conflict.
The "conflict" sociological theory looks at the world from the perspective that society is based on small groups that have conflicts that help society to evolve or change.
What is citizen journalism?
When the general public collects, disseminates, and analyses news and information, especially through the internet (as opposed to 'traditional' journalists - who are employed by a newspaper, for example).
What is fake news?
News that is 100% false, created by someone who knows it to be false.
The "news" has been created with a specific intention (like financial or political).
What type of journalism does Bellingcat do?
Bellingcat does investigative journalism, and specialises in fact-checking and open-source intelligence.
Explain the sociological theory: symbolic interactionalism.
In the "symbolic interactionalism" sociological theory, communication and human interaction are at the center. It holds that exchange of meaning happens through language and symbols, and that this is the way in which people make sense of their social worlds.
What is investigative journalism?
Investigative journalism involves the unveiling of matters that are concealed either deliberately by someone in a position of power, or accidentally, behind a chaotic mass of facts and circumstances.
The analysis and exposure of the facts are relevant to the public.
Describe the roles journalism has in a democracy.
Journalism keeps us informed.
Journalism enables us as citizens to have our voices heard in the chambers of power.
Journalism allows us to monitor and moderate those in power.
In the NYT podcast "The Story Behind a Defining War Photo", which ethical issues around photojournalism came up?
Should a photographer have an active role in deciding which photographs are published?
Should relatives of the dead be able to veto a photo being published?
Explain the sociological theory: Structural Functionalist.
According to the structural functionalist sociological theory, society is a large system dependent on its individual parts working together.
What is open-source journalism?
A journalistic practice in which reporters investigate and construct stories based on publicly available data, including via social media.
Often, these publications are published predominantly online.
Explain how the media acts as a gatekeeper.
Explain what "framing" does as an advertising technique. Think of an example.
FRAMING is often used in marketing to influence decisions. It takes advantage of the tendency for people to view the same information but respond to it in different ways, depending on whether something is presented in a positive frame or in a negative frame.
Many examples:
Something is framed as a gain (“you could have…”) or as a loss (“don't miss out…”).
Packaging of meat. Studies have shown that 75% lean meat is usually preferred over 25% fat meat, even though they are the same, just framed differently.