Telecommunications | Topical Seminar in Telecom Processes & Effects
T602 | 26118 | Paul, B


Sex lies at the heart of basic human social interaction.  Modern
media tend to serve as an ultra-normative social force.  We all look
to the media (whether consciously or not) in order to determine what
kinds of thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors are appropriate or
inappropriate; popular or unpopular; and normal or abnormal.  Media
also often serve to inform us about practices, movements, and events
of which we would otherwise have never been aware.  It is only
natural then that sex, as a fundamental social force, would play a
major role in shaping the nature of the media environment.
Likewise, it should be expected that the media, as a powerful setter
of social norms, will have significant influence on behaviors and
attitudes related to sex and sexuality.  Using a social scientific
and historical perspective, this course will focus primarily on the
fascinating relationship between these two powerful forces in
society.  Although some of the specific direction of the course will
depend on the make-up of the individuals who sign up to take it,
topics to be covered include, but are not limited to the following:
How much media sexual content is there really?  Why are sex and
sexuality so popular in the media?  How are the different genders
portrayed by the media?  What have been the trends in media
portrayals of sex and sexuality over the last century?  What are the
impacts of exposure to different types of mediated sexual content
(both explicit and non-explicit)?   Who is attracted to what type of
mediated sexual content? What is the relationship between exposure
to media sexual content and coercive sexual behaviors?  How and why
do media safe sex campaigns succeed and fail?  What differences and
similarities are there in the ways males and females respond to
mediated sexual content?  How do trends in media sexual portrayals
influence public attitudes towards related social issues?  What is
the impact of media sexuality on children?  What role does sex and
sexuality play in the development of new technologies.