SOCI 205 | Messages and Media translate
Mid-term take-home question Value 15% Due: July 16 -back to SOCI 205 weekly-
Notes on Propaganda and Persuasion | Fallacies | Rockwell: Old and New
Two magazines that focus on the science and art of creating messages through image construction are 'Life' and 'The Illustrated London News'. Looking at the content of these magazines from the 1930-50s, please consider how the messages are encoded to achieve desired signification, or representational value.
The mid-term is made up of two parts:
a) Select an advertisement from one of the magazines and analyse its semiotic structure. How has the ad been encoded to achieve the desired effect within the culture it was produced ? Identify the signifiers, how they are structured, and how signification (including symbolic meaning) is achieved. When submitting part a) please put your paper inside the magazine on the same page as the ad you choose. (2-3 pp. typed, double-spaced)
You may also wish to consider in what ways does the magazine reflect normative theories of mass communication ? These theories "describe the way things should be if some ideal values or principles are to be realized." Baran, Stanley J., & Davis, Dennis K., Mass Communication Theory. Third Edition, p.93, (Thomson Wadsworth), 2003. Given the time period of publication, how can the content be interpreted within the context of social responsibility theory ?
b) Create a 10.5" x 14" ad in which you communicate either a commercial or a political message. If it's a commercial message, make it for the same type of product you've analysed. If you choose to create a political message, focus on a controversial topic and feel free to address it in a controversial way.
Include both language and images and create a poster or one page public service announcement which makes an argument (claim to truth). Consider, for instance, the BC teachers' strike from about three years ago. You could construct a text for or against it. In the case of the latter, one might utilize techniques such as appeal to fear, or appeal to guilt - e.g. an image of a student looking lost and abandoned hanging around the streets killing time coupled with language such as "If I were a child molester or a drug dealer, I'd also be supporting the teachers' strike." For a broader issue, you could construct a message supporting or opposing the "War on Terror" in Iraq. Conversely, you could frame it as an "Attack on Iraq" and portray the "insurgents" as "freedom fighters" in a David vs. Goliath scenario. This is an exercise requiring both analytical and creative skills, i.e. applied academics, where you decide both the subject matter and perspective. You don't have to personally believe in your message. The only objective is to persuade others of its merit.
See notes below for further information re. message analysis and construction.
Notes on Propaganda and Persuasion -top-
