PhD course Classics in Media Research

TRAIN network 2018
The course is open to all PhD candidates in media & communication studies and related disciplines in social sciences & humanities. However, the number of participants is limited to 15, and the admission of candidates from member institutions of the TRAIN network will be prioritized.

The main goal of the course is to make PhD students familiar with key paradigms in
media and communication research during the 20th century; to deepen understanding of the contexts and debates from which these traditions have emerged and developed; and to evaluate their relevance to contemporary media landscapes and communication practices.

The course includes two intense two-day sessions in Stockholm, one at IMS, Stockholm University, and one at Södertörn. These sessions will present a total of nine introductory lecture/discussion seminars, engaging central areas within the field ( mass society, limited effects/Columbia school, critical theory/Frankfurt school, audience studies, medium theory, structuralism/poststructuralism, political economy, social interaction, cultural studies).

Reading lists will in each case highlight “classic” texts; lectures/seminars will further illuminate their scientific traditions and societal contexts, and discuss their implications in relation to contemporary agendas. Examination includes participation at the lectures & seminars as well as a written essay, that will be distributed and discussed among participants at the third, concluding session, coinciding with TRAIN’s April summit in Kristinehamn.

To register for participation, candidates should send an email, no later than Jan 19, 2018, to james.losey@ims.su.se. This email should declare the interest to participate, the candidate’s current affiliation to an institution/PhD program, and an indication (a few keywords) of the planned area of dissertation.