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  3. Culture, Identity and Everyday Life

Culture, Identity and Everyday Life (CULS10005)

Undergraduate level 1Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)

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Overview

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Semester 2
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This subject introduces cultural studies by discussing media, identities and practices in everyday life. Media saturate almost every aspect of our experience and provide a powerful lens for understanding ourselves, others, and the world around us. We address representation and social practice, drawing case studies from popular transnational media, including advertising, television, film, music and online cultures. We consider people's interactions with media in everyday life, particularly when constructing identities and groups through, for example, fandom and youth culture. This subject helps students reflexively appreciate contemporary culture and grasp the complex relationships between formations of social power and audience pleasures. It offers students a deeper understanding of many naturalised aspects of their lived experience, and advanced critical skills in evaluating media texts and cultural practices.

Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of the subject, students should have:

  • Developed a critical appreciation of the significance of popular media forms in contemporary cultural and social life, in all its diversity
  • Demonstrated an introductory knowledge and understanding of contemporary theories of culture, media, identity, and everyday life
  • Mastered relevant research skills including use of the library, e-research skills, and appropriate referencing and presentation of written work that are applied with intellectual honesty and a respect for ethical values
  • A general understanding of selected texts, sites and practices of everyday media in selected non-Western contexts, and an appreciation of the global diversity of popular media forms and cultures
  • An appreciation for national and international debates on specific contemporary issues and complex problems connected with culture, media, identity and everyday life and be able to apply this knowledge and experience to a broad range of professional and disciplinary contexts
  • Demonstrated the ability to effectively apply flexible reading strategies and writing practices in analysing contemporary media cultures.

Generic skills

At the completion of this subject, students should gain the following generic skills:

  • Develop social, ethical and cultural understanding of self and others
  • Acquire critical analysis and synthesis
  • Have an effective written and oral communication
  • Develop information management and information literacy
  • Develop teamwork, flexibility and tolerance
  • Develop time management and planning.

Last updated: 10 January 2025