Media Studies

Race and Media

America's founding principles of equality and equal opportunity have long been the subject of interpretation, debate, national angst, and widespread (oftentimes violent) conflict. No more is this the case than when we talk about the issue of race. While biological notions of race have lost their scientific validity, race remains a salient issue in American life as a social and political reality sustained through a wide variety of media forms. The broad purpose of this course is to better understand how notions of race have been defined and shaped in and through these mediated forms. Specific attention may be given to the ways that race is articulated in forms of mass media and popular culture.

MCC Senior Honors Presentations

Watch the short presentations from students in this year's Honors Program.

NYU's Alliance for Public Interest Technology to Evaluate Technology Used in the Coronavirus Pandemic

NYU's Alliance for Public Interest Technology is studying what may be learned from the design and implementation of technology used during the Coronavirus Pandemic.

MA Student Wins Top Graduate Paper

David Williams won the top graduate paper at the annual Communications conference for his piece "Spectacle, Simulation, and Deepfakes."

Charlton McIlwain Looks at Diversity and Inclusion in Computing Industry

A new book by Professor Charlton McIlwain provides a historical look at the challenges of diversity and inclusion in computing industries.

The Kavanaugh Files Explores How Gender and Gesture Influenced the Senate Confirmation Hearing

A Verbatim Performance Lab project shows how body language can shape history.

What Students Are Learning: How the Computer Became Personal

In History of Computing: How the Computer Became Personal, Laine Nooney, a cultural historian of video games and computers, and Tega Brain, a media artist and engineer, weave the history of personal computing with the craft of digital technology. Students explored the culture, history, and aesthetics of the computer.

Questions about Google: An Interview with Valerie Streit (MA '06)

Valerie Streit (MA '06), a graduate of NYU Steinhardt's media ecology program, talks about her work life at Google.