Political Economy
Philosopher who wrote Das Kapital
Karl Marx
Semiotics
The study of sign processes and
meaning-making
A video game discussed in class that promotes online community
Animal Crossing, Pokemon Go
Environmental communication
The symbolic representation of most any topic about the natural world
Example of an online fandom discussed in class
Star Wars, Star Trek, Twilight, Harry Potter, Marvel, Game of Thrones
Attributes of political economy
Question ownership and control
Understanding how power works
Class-based analysis
Importance of structural factors
Popular culture
Mass produced
Well-liked
Requires media
Gamergate
A misogynistic online harassment campaign and a right-wing backlash against feminism, diversity, and progressivism in video game culture
Groups that influence environmental ideology (at least 2)
Citizens
Public officials
Scientific community
Corporations
Environmentalist groups
Journalists
Characteristics of community (at least 2)
Sense of space
Shared practice
Shared resources and support
Shared identities
Interpersonal relationships
Political scientist who came up with the term 'manufactured consent'
Noam Chomsky
Popular feminism
A mainstream, corporate-friendly feminism that encourages women
to work in a system designed to devalue and underpay their labour
Film composition
The precise arrangement of
objects and characters within a given
frame
Risk communication
The exchange of real-time information, advice and opinions between experts and people facing threats to their health, economic or social well-being
One of the first examples of participatory culture
Fan fiction/fan communities
Commodity fetishism
Our regard for a material good, and not the resources—
in particular the labour—that went into producing it
Parts of the Bechdel Test (3)
Has to have at least 2 women in it
Women must speak to each other
Conversation must be about something other than a man
Symbolic annihilation
The absence of representation to maintain social inequality
Criticisms of how ecology, environmental justice, and climate change are portrayed in popular media
Oversimplification, sensationalism, greenwashing, and the marginalization of certain voices or perspectives
Characteristics of participatory cultures (at least 2)
Low barriers to engagement
Informal mentorship
Members feel their contributions matter
Members have a social connection
Strong support for creation
Neoliberal Capitalism
A strong belief in free markets, minimal government intervention in the economy, deregulation, privatization, and the promotion of individual responsibility
Why is popular culture considered a space for struggle and contestation
Shapes how different groups are perceived
Reinforces existing power imbalances
Platform to express opposing political views & social change
People interpret & resist what they consume
How has globalization impacted the production, distribution, and consumption of films
Globalization has facilitated the cross-border flow of films, enabling cultural exchange, collaboration between filmmakers from different regions, and the spread of diverse cinematic styles, genres, and narratives
Common frames and narratives used in popular media to discuss ecology, environmental justice, and climate change
Popular media often frames ecology, environmental justice, and climate change in terms of crisis, urgency, solutions, and individual or collective responsibility, influencing how audiences perceive and respond to these challenges
Ethical challenges that arise in the management and moderation of online communities
Privacy concerns
Misinformation
Cyberbullying