A Harry Potter degree
Dear Badger,
Maybe it’s because I am getting closer to finalizing my degree and I feel the need for personal reassurance and validation; maybe it’s because I am unamused with the frequently associated stigma; whatever the reason, I feel an itching desire to answer the question: what is Media Studies? We all know this scenario all too well: you’re at a buzzing social gathering amongst fellow university students and the first question (or third, depending on your mastered social skills) to break the ice is: “so, what do you study?”
It may sound like boastful lies, but if I am the person breaking the ice with such a question, I am always intrigued by their answer, no matter what their degree is. I don’t give preference to someone doing Maths over American Studies, or vice versa, Music over Medicine. Why would I?
The truth is, unless we study these degrees, nobody, myself included, has a clue about what these degrees actually entail. Thus, why would I make assumptions about that person or their academic subject when I am blissfully unaware? Besides, I hold a hippy dippy belief that in society no job is more important than the other. The street cleaner is as necessary as the teacher, the teacher is as necessary as the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister is as necessary as the dog walker.
Every individual has a role in society that suits them according to their interests and passion, and this belief makes each of these roles equally: relevant, fascinating and significant (I told you it was hippy dippy). It is for this reason that, secretly, my is ego severely damaged every time I am exposed to piercing content that devalues Media Studies as a credible degree.
When I tell people what I study, the response is always freakishly similar: Media? That sounds fun. Fun? Sure it’s fun, as fun as the biochemist finds their degree. Like any degree if you are passionate about, you will find vast parts of it enjoyable. But when people say fun, I know they are really insinuating that I sit on my ass making music videos and watching Harry Potter all term whilst in my free time I gallivant around campus picking my nose.
Sadly, this is not the reality. Believe it or not Media Studies is not so much related to films and television as it is to: society, race, history, politics and various other subjects that other ‘serious’ humanities degrees consider. However, I won’t let you take my word for it. In an article by James Curran, a senior lecturer in Media, History and Politics at the University of London, states that ‘the attack on media studies is founded on ignorant misrepresentation’ and that the subject is ‘enormously demanding’.
He observes that the insightful modules offered in UK Universities like ‘Media and Democracy’ and ‘Media, Publics and Protest’ study the media with means to interrogate the underpinnings of society. Now does that sound so moronic? Dear god I hope not.
Now just don’t get me started on defending my joining degree in Cultural Studies…
Jemada Cicley
Union obliterates the debate – unwritten requirement used to shut down free speech debate
Jordan Wright - April 27, 2018
Latest Posts
Union obliterates the debate – unwritten requirement used to shut down free speech debate
Jordan Wright - April 27, 2018Student society Liberate the Debate’s most recent event was cancelled over a lack of compliance with the Students' Union's (USSU) requirement for a neutral chair - a…
Review: Nick Cave Double Bill at The Old Market (TOM’s Film Club)
Sophie Coppenhall - May 23, 2018What a phenomenal contrast these two films present when watched side-by-side. In essence, together they are capable of tracing inner and outer metamorphoses of their subjects. The…
Dollywould at The Old Market preview
Alex Hutson - May 22, 2018From the 22nd May - 25th May 2018 DollyWould will be showing at The Old Market. An exciting new show, presented by Sh!t Theatre, who won the…
Exhibition: Io-sono Fedilouu
Ricardo Reverón Blanco - May 16, 2018Last week artist Fedilou made her debut exhibition in the downstairs space of Morelli Zorelli, a quaint vegan Italian restaurant in Hove, featuring a collection of intimate…
Interview with Philosophy faculty and COGS director Ron Chrisley
Nikolaos Manesis - May 15, 2018Ron Chrisley is a Reader in Philosophy, on the faculty of the Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science, and is the director of COGS (Centre for Cognitive Science).…
Adam review
Ketan Jha - May 13, 2018If you have been a stranger to the stage this spring and decide to see one contemporary show, let it be Adam. This reviewer went in entirely…
Brighton Fringe Preview: Nick Cave Double Bill at The Old Market (TOM’s Film Club)
Sophie Coppenhall - May 13, 2018In celebration of iconic Brighton local, legendary alt-rock musician (and episodic actor) Nick Cave, TOM’s Film Club are hosting a double-bill screening of his films at The…
Whimsical fairy-tale meets class war – Standard: Elite review
Georgia Grace - May 11, 2018Meta-theatricality and interactivity are becoming all the more vogue in contemporary theatre, and in a world where the arts are becoming increasingly open and democratised, I find…
A Year of Art Society: The Best Picks
Alex Leissle - May 9, 2018[gallery type="slideshow" ids="35385,35386,35387,35388,35389,35390,35391,35392,35393,35394,35395,35396,35397,35398,35399,35400,35401,35402,35403,35404,35405,35406,35407,35408,35409,35410,35411"]
More Brit(ish) than ever: A review of Afua Hirsch at Brighton Festival
William Singh - May 9, 2018Afua Hirsch’s 2018 book - part memoir, part polemic - provokes mixed feelings. So too did her discussion of the topic at this year’s Brighton Festival. Don’t…
Ethnic-bioweapons: between conspiracy and reality
Luke Richards - May 8, 2018Bioweapons exist, while ethnic-bioweapons are whispered conspiracies. Pandemics can fairly hazardous to human life, the 1918 Flu Pandemic killed 20-50 million people. A man made pandemic could…
Breaking: Spring referenda results announced
Jessica Hubbard - May 4, 2018Students have voted to support the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement, reject Prevent and adopt new Gender Equality policies. Results for the Students' Union referenda were…
Why I’m Jewish AND I support BDS
Sarah McIntosh - May 2, 2018The idea of a land where my religious identity is welcomed and where I feel safe to be myself and live in peace is a beautiful idea…
Student research happening at Sussex
Nikolaos Manesis - May 1, 2018(Image source: Flickr, Pixabay, Wikipedia) Another academic year is coming to a close and with it, the last edition of The Badger. To celebrate our last science…
Sussex Festival cancelled
Jordan Wright - April 30, 2018The Students’ Union have cancelled their highly anticipated end-of-term event Sussex Festival: Desert Island Disco, which was due to begin on Saturday May 12th. The Students’ Union…
Students’ Union President Gustafsson and Liberate the Debate respond to the cancelled event
Jordan Wright - April 27, 2018These comment pieces represent the opinions of both the Students' Union and Liberate the Debate with regards to the recent cancellation of the Society's freedom of speech…
Artist Focus: Rory Hinshelwood
Louisa Hunt - April 25, 2018Rory Hinshelwood studies Zoology with Spanish at Sussex. His brand is called Poplar St., at the moment the brand sell embroidered high-quality t-shirts. Rory works mostly in graphics…
Artist Focus: Maayan Cohen
Emma Phillips - April 24, 2018The Badger spoke with Sussex University’s Maayan Cohen about her creative workshop, ‘Bits and Pieces.’ Can you tell us a bit about Bits and Pieces- what’s the…
Voodoo enthralls at The Old Market – review
Ricardo Reverón Blanco - April 24, 2018As part of South East Dance’s micro-festival, Undisciplined, Voodoo comes to being as a collaboration between South East Dance and Project O. Project O brings artists Alexandrina…
Trial & error: Sex, sass and foolishness through dance
Ricardo Reverón Blanco - April 24, 2018For the concluding show of South East Dance’s micro-festival, Double Bill brings two short performances to The Old Market’s stage: Comebacks I thought of later by Eleanor…
Latest News
Union obliterates the debate – unwritten requirement used to shut down free speech debate
Jordan Wright - April 27, 2018
