Affect or Reflect? Media, Representation, and Society

“[Ideologies] and beliefs are… maintained through a number of social institutions, one of which is the media. The media are a central arena in which consent is won and maintained by representation, agenda setting, and other mechanisms that position certain values, issues, and attributes as being important, desirable, natural, or normal.” (O’Shaughnessy and Stadler 35)

Prompt:

In the chapter, “What Do the Media Do to Us? Media and Society”, authors Michael O’Shaughnessy and Jane Stadler ask us to consider the following question, “Do media reflect or affect the world?” (O’Shaughnessy and Stadler 42). In this question and the question posed in the chapter title above, there are certain assumptions – primarily, that the media “do” something to viewers and the world. It also suggests that this may be considered from various positions, namely that media are either representations of a given society projected onto media objects (“reflect”) or that media objects are so persuasive that they determine some aspects of reality and thus change it in the process (“affect”). When we consider media texts as potentially having the power to elevate or undermine certain ideas about what is right, normal, and good, such questions take on particular urgency. As demonstrated in several essays assigned so far, the narrative of what is acceptable, desirable, valuable – or unacceptable, undesirable, and valueless – may shape popular opinion, either in ways that reinforce existing power structures or that challenge those structures in an effort to establish new narratives that rectify the injustices of the prevailing system. As well, several of the authors we’ve read demonstrate the deep significance of active, critical engagement as we “read” both “word” and “world”.

Instructions:

For your argument essay, you will show your reader the connection(s) between the questions posed by O’Shaughnessy and Stadler and the issues raised in at least two of the additional course readings listed below, while advancing your own argument about the role of media in society. In preparation for the essay, you should consider your response to the question, “Do media reflect or affect the world?” (O’Shaughnessy and Stadler 42), as connected to the issues around critical engagement, media, representation, and power raised in at least two of the following non-textbook readings from (the essays by Paulo Freire, bell hooks, George Orwell, William Lutz, and/or Jack Shaheen). How can your chosen texts work together, what do these texts suggest regarding what media “does” to us, and what is at stake in this connection? In what way(s), are dominant ideologies enforced or subverted through the media we consume, and why is it important to engage these critically?

Specifics:

Your essay should provide the following, at the minimum:

• A thesis that is directly related to the main theme(s) of your essay, with claims to support that thesis
• Summaries and/or paraphrases that orient an unfamiliar reader to the ideas under investigation, including descriptive elements for a reader who may not have read the essays to which you refer
• A clear presentation of your own argument, building on scholarly theories
• Specific engagement with at least three non-textbook readings from Weeks 2-6
• Quotations that are related to the claims you are making/supporting, and that are unpacked in a way that shows how you are working in conversation with the author being quoted
• An indication of what is at stake in the argument you are making – this should be alluded to in your introduction and then expanded upon in your conclusion
• MLA 8 citation, Works Cited page, and essay formatting

You are welcome to bring in more of the assigned (non-textbook) readings to support your argument, if needed, including the chapter by O’Shaughnessy and Stadler. Outside research is not required, but if you do bring in outside research, ensure that you are only using scholarly texts listed through the University of Toronto library system.[1] There is no required number of sources for this assignment, aside from the essays noted here, which should each be thoroughly introduced and cited. In any case, all referenced items, including the essays you choose, must be cited in MLA 8 format and listed in your MLA Works Cited page.

Length: 1000-1500 words, plus a separate Works Cited page. Do not include a title page (MLA does not use one), but do give your work a unique title that informs the reader and draws them in.

Format: Your essay must follow MLA 8 guidelines for both citation and page layout. A complete resource for MLA 8 essay formatting and citation is available here:

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/ (Links to an external site.)

There is also a formatting and citation checklist on Quercus, as well as a sample MLA-formatted paper with a Works Cited page; it is strongly recommended that you utilize these tools.

Due date: March 6, 2022, 11:59pm. Essays should be submitted on Quercus. Submissions must be in .doc, .docx, or .pdf format. No other formats will be accepted; papers submitted in other formats may be subject to a late penalty (starting from the due date and ending when the correct format is received).

[1] If you choose to bring in additional sources, you are welcome to verify the validity of your sources with me – just email me the bibliographical information, and I can let you know if it is an acceptable source (note: Wikipedia is never an acceptable academic source). I will be posting a video that will help you find scholarly sources, which will be built on further later in the term, during our library research session.

Works Cited

O’Shaughnessy, Michael and Jane Stadler. “What Do the Media Do to Us? Media and Society.” Media and Society, 5th ed., Oxford UP, 2013, pp. 32-60.

NEED ASSIGNMENT HELP?

We guarantee plagiarism-free and AI-free writing services. Every assignment is crafted with originality, precision, and care to meet your academic needs.

Ready to get started? Place your order directly on this post!

Let us help you achieve excellence—authentic work, every time.