Case Study 6 Dissertation Case Study

Case Study 6 Dissertation Case Study

Media research

The media can provide a wealth of material for you to use in preparation for your dissertation and is an interesting topic in itself. The media has an important role in constructing the social world in which we live. It helps to establish dominant agendas in society by creating or reinforcing dominant values and by marginalising certain causes, or sections of society.

If you are interested in investigating the role of the media in society, it is useful to begin by identifying the broad approach you want to take.

· The Portrayal Approach: How is a section of society or an issue portrayed in the media? This will involve conducting a detailed examination of media content. If you are interested in newspapers, documentaries, films or music, this is probably the way to approach your research.

· The Impact Approach: What effect do newspapers, documentaries etc have upon the way we view a section of society or an issue? This will involve asking people through questionnaires, interviews or focus groups their views on the influence of the media. If you are interested in the impact of the media, this approach will probably be more suitable.

Once you have decided which of these approaches is more appealing, you can narrow down your research proposal by identifying the issue you want to explore. For example, if you are interested in women and the media you could consider one of the following:

· How are women portrayed in the media?

1. Your research could look at the way women are portrayed in broadcast news, in Hollywood films or in hip hop music.

2. You could concentrate upon the objectification of women or the messages we receive about the relationship between men and women.

3. You might want to look at the way that women are portrayed in advertising or in fashion magazines.

· What effect do the media have upon the way we view women?

1. This type of research could concentrate upon how people view the effects of the media on such things as body image, equal opportunities or sexual violence.

2. You could conduct a survey in which you compare the views of men and women on these subjects or perhaps make comparisons across generations.

The range of issues you can explore is almost endless. Using one of the approaches outlined above, you could explore media messages about:

· drugs

· sexuality

· crime

· violence

· mental health

· youth culture

· war

· racism

· democracy

· power and so on.

By concentrating upon the media, it is possible to explore a vast array of perspectives on any issue that you find of interest.