Mercedes Lynn De Uriarte

NOTE: This interdisciplinary course counts as credit for the LBJ School Philanthropy, Volunteerism and Non-Profit certification program.

Course examines major contemporary social justice issues within historical context examining national and international connections and press treatment of the same. Topics cover racism, sexism, economics, education, health, immigration, imperialism, (US-Latin America in the 1980s, Iraq today) labor and youth issues. Materials include texts and documentaries.

A segment of the course includes an overview of the role of non-profits in the search for social justice. An applied theory experience puts students in a non-profit community organization of choice for 20 hours as participant observers/service learners. Materials are provided to enhance this experience. A brief narrative report of this activity is required before semester end. Students will also assist in organizing a round table discussion between journalists and community non-profits before semester end.

Topic description: Issues concerning minority or nondominate groups with in the United states. Survey of minority communication problems: alienat ion, fragmentation, media access; criticism and feedback for minority gr oups based on racial/ethnic background, age, sex, disability, social or economic class, and sexual orientation.

This course approaches mass media as a cultural product. Consequently, we begin with 

an examination of political, historical and sociological structure of society to construct an 

analytic lens on media content. Media does not operate in a vacuum. Course examines 

media behavior as part of a systemic construction of reality. 

This writing component course is designed to provide students a comprehensive 

historical and sociological overview of press and entertainment media treatment of 

minorities, including identity constructions of racial, ethnic and gender groups as well 

as class issues and leaders who contextualize the minority experience. Topics about 

women focus on minority women.  

 The chronological focus is WWII to the present. The ethnographical component of this 

course requires learning to apply theory by learning to see and to analyze one’s 

immediate environment and to analyze its press coverage. 

Course examines major contemporary social justice issues within historical context examining national and international connections and press treatment of the same. Topics cover racism, sexism, economics, education, health, immigration, imperialism, (US-Latin America in the 1980s, Iraq today) labor and youth issues. Materials include texts and documentaries.

             
This writing component course is designed to provide students a comprehensive historical and sociological overview of media treatment of minorities, including identity constructions of racial and ethnic and gender groups as well as class issues that  who contextualize the minority experience. Topics about women focus on minorities.

 The chronological focus is WWII to the present. As the ethnographical component, this course requires learning to see and to analyze one’s immediate environment and to analyze its press coverage through the press ethics lens of the Commission for Freedom of the Press and the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders. Students are required to gather the demographics of the University of Texas and to collect a clip file of all Daily Texan news stories during the  semester about minorities at UT. These materials will be needed for the semester-end research report which serves as a final exam and which students begin working on from the start of the semester. We will discuss coverage throughout the semester, so students must stay current. Additional articles will be provided from time-to-time from the alternative press, with which students will be expected to become familiar.

Learning opportunities are provided in visual and written materials, including documentaries that expand upon the topic and entertainment films that provide additional perspective. Some films must be seen by syllabus review date outside class time in the Instructional Media Center, UGL or at home.

As a writing component course, 50% of grades reflect student ability to demonstrate in written work comprehensive, contextual grasp of course material. Students are encouraged to seek help from the Writing Center for any or all assignments.