Description
The area of alternative media studies is an emerging field of inquiry. This
course is designed to bring attention to not only the prevalence and
influence of mainstream/mass media, but also to other types of media
that circulate in the public sphere. Among the plethora of available media
content, this course discusses which ones can be defined as alternative
media. It offers an exploration of key debates in academic and media
establishments concerning the criteria used for conceptualizing alternative
media. The course then undertakes an examination of various historical and
contemporary manifestations, with a particular focus on Arab alternative
media. It also includes an examination of the limits of alternative media in
terms of effecting social transformation.