What is 'the media' and how can it impact the ways in which we see the world and ourselves in it? This course will examine these questions as we examine the roles that various media forms play in our society, particularly in regards to issues of identity across lines of race, class, gender and sexuality. Students will examine historical and theoretical aspects of the media from both sociological and cultural studies perspectives, the ways in which mainstream and alternative media construct identities, and the impact that these images have on the society in which they circulate. Prerequisite: At least 3 credit hours in SOC.