How does media make worlds? From data to water, cable to cloud, this course examines the relations between elemental phenomena and communication systems, exploring the deepening relationships between environment, media and culture. The material imprint of media weighs heavily on our climate, from the extraction of critical rare minerals, to fuel consumption and land use, the natural world affords and bears the weight of communication infrastructures. This course is informed by emergent theories from infrastructure humanities, environmental humanities and critical media studies that understand media objects beyond their traditional role as carriers of messages. This is an interdisciplinary course that considers questions that include: How do media affects systems of perception, value, and feeling alongside their lived environments? How does media not only represent the environment, but constitute it? How does thinking with elements (e.g. temperature, atmosphere, seawater) allow for an expanded understanding of media systems?

1 x 2hr field trip

1 x 2hr student-led workshop

8 x 2hr timetabled on-campus seminar

This is one of the MSc options in Communications and may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on MyCampus.

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The standard assessments for this course are: 

■ 5 minute presentation, typically as part of a group project (25%) 

■ 1000 word report (25%) 

■ 2000 word essay (50%) OR 2000 word Object Case Study (50%) 

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available: 

■ A recorded presentation or one-to-one presentation / discussion/Q&A with staff (where presentation would normally be in class) as alternative to presentation.

■ There are no alternatives to the 1000 word report, but flexible deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (Students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

■ There are no alternatives to the 2000 word essay, but flexible deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (Students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.  

This course aims to:

• assess key theories, debates and perspectives in media ecology and environmental media studies

• analyse a range of media elements, interfaces, and infrastructures shaped by social, environmental, and political forces

• investigate the relation between media ecology and their affective dimensions, questioning how media influences environments

• critically evaluate media forms, to rethink what constitutes media and to assess their role in systems of aesthetic representation and social organisation

• apply theoretical concepts and humanities methods to material infrastructures and real-world media objects. 

By the end of this course students will be able to:

• analyse key concepts in media ecology and environmental media studies.

• analyse the relationships between media as environment and environmental media.

• evaluate the influence of media ecologies on systems of communication and affective relations including emotions, value, and behaviour.

• critically interpret the role of media ecologies in structuring systems of aesthetic representation and social organisation.

• apply theoretical knowledge and abstract concepts to real-world environments and media forms through case studies, group projects and field trip.