50174 Professional Practice and Culture
UTS: Communication: Journalism Information and Media LearningCredit points: 8 cp
Result Type: Grade, no marks
Requisite(s): 50106 Media, Information and Society OR 50227 Media, Information and Society
Handbook description
This subject examines professional agency in the production of culture. It situates professionalism within debates about the social role of intellectuals, and takes a comparative approach to issues including the relationship of professionals to principles of public service and ethics, the impact of corporatisation and industrialisation of professional work, the impact of new communication technologies on relations with employers, clients and audiences, and the impact of increasing globalisation of professional practice. These issues are explored in relation to case studies of particular professions including journalism, communication management, the law, film and television production and creative writing.
Subject objectives/outcomes
On completion of this subject, students are expected to be able to:
- demonstrate a critical understanding of professional practice in sociocultural production, and contemporary debates about the activities of some of the key professions
- apply some of the major scholarly approaches to researching and thinking about the role of the professions
- contribute constructively and critically to face-to-face and online discussions of the subject matter of the course
- produce written work for assessment that demonstrates a critical knowledge of the major scholarly debates in this subject area.
Contribution to graduate profile
This subject provides students with:
- the skills to enter journalism professional practice
- opportunities to make significant intellectual and creative contributions to the social, political and cultural life of the communities in which they live
- an understanding of the role of the media in local, regional, national and global contexts
- strong research skills and effectively retrieve and analyse information from a range of sources
- a critical understanding of issues of gender, racism, ethnicity, disability and class and the way these are linked to issues of media representation, production and reception
- an understanding of the role the media has played in the dispossession of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the importance of the role the media can play in the reconciliation process and bringing justice to all communities
- an understanding and commitment to ethical journalism practice.
Teaching and learning strategies
Your work as a student should be directed to achieving these objectives through participation in the course activities (lectures, tutorials, reading, research, online discussions, etc) and demonstrating your achievements through the way you produce your work for assessment.
There are 13 weekly classes of three hours duration. The classes consist of two activities:
- for the first part of the semester: a series of lectures will introduce the topics, and tutorial discussion of lecture material, student contributions to online discussions and plans for the major research project. In some weeks there will be two lectures and in other weeks, one lecture and a longer tutorial.
- for the later part of the semester: a series of student-led seminars, where we present and discuss work-in-progress for the students' research and case studies for the major assessment project.
Readings for each topic will cover a variety of analytical perspectives in order to introduce a critical understanding of debates about professional practice. These readings are the jumping off point for the lectures and online discussions. Progress of students on their assessment tasks will be discussed and assisted during class. Readings and notes for some additional topics are available on UTS Online. Students may draw on these for their final project.
Content
Culture is a major element of what defines human societies and the individuals who live in them. Over the last hundred years or so, a large proportion of activity that has a cultural impact in economically advanced societies has come to be performed by professionals working either as freelance independents or as employees of corporatised businesses, mostly located in cities. This is the case for 'high culture', which has long been the preserve of professionals, for popular culture, and also for that broad range of activity in the symbolic sphere that can impact on the way in which societies construct their social interactions, for example, in the media, law, health, education, architecture, etc.
Furthermore, people working in all of these fields often seek publicity in the mass media to promote their activities, and so representation of their work becomes incorporated into discourses mediated by media professionals. This gives media professionals a major role in the interpretation and definition of social and cultural activities in which they are not directly involved.
This 'industrialisation' and 'professionalisation' of cultural activity and its promotion has created a large group of what could loosely be defined as 'cultural professionals', who play a significant role in the representation and construction of social relations. Further, the advent of new communication technologies has contributed to the restructure of many industries and professions, changing the spatial and temporal rhythms of professionals' lives (both at work and at play), and providing new types of access for non-professionals to cultural production and exchange.
This subject is a critical study of debates about the role of the professions in social and cultural production. It situates the professions within their intellectual, social and economic contexts, and explores their roles from a variety of theoretical perspectives. It will explore debates about cultural agency, ethics and moral responsibility, the social structure of professions, and the impact of 'globalisation' on professional practice.
Assessment
Assessment item 1: Participation in Online Discussion group
| Objective(s): | a, b, c, d |
| Weighting: | 30% of total mark (20% awarded by tutor, 10% awarded by anonymous peer assessment) |
| Task: | Cumulative contribution of approximately 2000 words in at least four distinct postings per student, with at least one posting per fortnight. |
| Assessment criteria: | Your work will be assessed for the quality of its
|
Assessment item 2: Oral and written presentation of progress report on research essay
| Objective(s): | a, b, c, d |
| Weighting: | 20% of final mark |
| Task: | This task involves an oral and written presentation of 1000 words per student to your tutorial group of a progress report for your major research essay (Task 3). |
| Assessment criteria: | Your work will be assessed for the quality of its
|
Assessment item 3: 2500-3000 word final essay
| Objective(s): | a, b, c, d |
| Weighting: | 50% of final mark |
| Task: | Students are expected to demonstrate their capacity to synthesise the material studied during the semester, to apply it as appropriate to a research project, carry out the research and present it in written form using the conventions of academic presentation. |
| Assessment criteria: | Your work will be assessed for the quality of its
|
Minimum requirements
Students are expected to read the subject outline to ensure they are familiar with the subject requirements. Since class discussion and participation in activities form an integral part of this subject, you are expected to attend, arrive punctually and actively participate in classes. If you experience difficulties meeting this requirement, please contact your lecturer. Students who have a reason for extended absence (e.g., illness) may be required to complete additional work to ensure they achieve the subject objectives.
Students who miss three or more classes are advised that their final work may not be assessed and they may risk failing the subject.
Indicative references
Readings are available as eReadings, accessed through the UTS Library Catalogue at http://orac.lib.uts.edu.au
References and resources for additional topics which may be relevant to chosen research topics will be supplied on UTS Online and eReadings.
The following books contain a range of useful articles for various sections of the course:
Manuel Castells, The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture, Blackwell, 1996, 1997, 1998 (Three volumes)
Coady, M. and Bloch, S., (eds) 1996: Codes of Ethics and the Professions, Melbourne Uni. Press
Cunningham, S. and Turner, G. (eds), 2002: The Media and Communications in Australia, Allen and Unwin.
Curran, J., Morley, D. and Walkerdine, V. (eds), 1996: Cultural Studies and Communication, Edward Arnold
Curran, J. and Gurevitch, M. (eds.), 2000: Mass Media and Society, 3rd edition, Edward Arnold.
Devereux, E 2007: Media studies: key issues and debates. London: Sage.
Freidson, Eliot, 1994: Professionalism reborn: theory, prophecy and policy, Polity
Harvey, David, 1990: The Condition of Postmodernity, Blackwell
Thompson, J. B., 1990: Ideology and Modern Society - Critical Social Theory in the Era of Mass Communication, Polity
You should also seek out other material from the mass media, and from the following journals:
Media International Australia
Media, Culture and Society (UK)
Australian Journal of Communication
Journalism: Theory and Practice
Journalism Studies
Cultural Studies (US)
International Journal of Communication
European Journal of Communications
Critical Studies in Mass Communication (US)
Communications Law Bulletin
