DIVERSITY AND THE MEDIA

Choose one media program or article that deals with an issue related to the variables we are exploring in this course: race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, or social class. Examples of acceptable media include a newspaper article, a radio program, a television show, or a movie. Find these via the Capella library or online. Feel free to choose a topic or media source that is either domestic or global in content.

Then, write an essay that includes a brief summary of the main event or issues in your article or program, clarifying how the event or issue connects to this course. Your essay should accomplish the following:

1. Discuss sociological theories appropriate for promoting understanding of a diversity concept. 
   • Include relevant examples from the article or program to illustrate your points. 
2. Discuss how a media piece may affect or might have been influenced by policy and power. 
   • Consider how individuals in power influence decisions regarding how issues are portrayed. This can include corporate executives, lobbyists, special interest groups, or those who own a particular newspaper, channel, or media conglomerate.
3. Discuss how minority and dominant groups are portrayed in a media piece to understand influences on discrimination. 
   • Relate your discussion to Merton’s typology of prejudice and discrimination from the interactive.
4. Analyze data that is appropriate for supporting or refuting the central tenets of your media piece. 
   • If data (statistical information) is cited in your media selection, you may go to that source and analyze it yourself; then consult an additional source that supports or refutes the data presented.
5. Apply in text the standard writing conventions for the discipline, including structure, voice, person, tone, and citation formatting.

Additional Requirements

• Written communication: Ensure written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
• Length of paper: Submit 24 typed, double-spaced pages (title and reference page not included).
• Format: Format resources and citations according to current  guidelines.
• Font and font size: Use Times New Roman, 12-point font.
• Sources: Cite at least two sources. You may cite your media piece as one source and a course material or another scholarly source as the other. If you refer to concepts or theories covered in the course content, be sure to appropriately cite the applicable course reading or video.