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  3. Racism, Religion, and Pop Culture

Racism, Religion, and Pop Culture (ISLM20017)

Undergraduate level 2Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)

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Overview

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Semester 2 - On Campus
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This subject explores the phenomenon of fear of the Other—manifesting as racism, Islamophobia, Antisemitism, xenophobia, and other forms of prejudice—and how stigmatised groups, especially younger generations, resist and subvert these forces through protest, media, and pop culture. Drawing on theories from cultural studies, globalisation, identity politics, and media analysis, students will examine how prejudice is produced, reinforced, or challenged, particularly through visual culture and digital media. The subject investigates how comedy, fashion, music, and online platforms are used to confront marginalisation and reclaim representation. It also examines the darker side of pop culture and globalised technologies, exploring how far-right groups, terrorist networks, and extremist movements use media to spread hate, divide communities, and attract new followers across borders. Students will critically explore the intersections of race, religion, media, and power in shaping both dominant narratives and grassroots resistance.

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of this subject, students should be able to:

  • Recall key concepts, themes, and frameworks that explain prejudice and the role of pop culture in producing and subverting it
  • Identify examples of overt and coded racism, Islamophobia, Antisemitism, and xenophobia in media and popular culture
  • Analyse the matrices (historical, social, political etc.) in which discourses of prejudice and hatred emerge and circulate via popular culture
  • Critique the techniques and tools used by far-right or extremist religious groups to disseminate their messages and recruit followers
  • Design a theoretically-informed creative response that resists or subverts hate propaganda.

Generic skills

On completion of this subject, students should be able to:

  • Apply the critical thinking skills of questioning, analysis, evaluation, problem-solving, reflection, synthesis, and decision making in academic and applied contexts
  • Collaborate effectively with peers through group-based planning, co-design, and peer feedback activities that simulate real-world communicative and interpersonal dynamics
  • Employ academic conventions in sourcing, citing, referencing, and communicating research findings in both written and oral formats
  • Communicate complex ideas clearly and persuasively, across oral, written, and visual modes, tailored to diverse audiences
  • Adapt communication and argumentation styles to suit different format
  • Engage in independent and self-directed learning, including time management, self-evaluation, and iterative development of work in response to feedback.

Last updated: 11 December 2025