Monday, August 27, 2007

Welcome to COMM 480

Welcome to the COMM 480 class blog. This blog provides an opportunity to explore the intersection of media, religion and culture through online discussions of topics raised in COMM 480: Religious Communications being taught by Dr. Heidi Campbell at Texas A&M University this fall semester. Students will have an opportunity to respond to course themes here and additional information related weekly case studies will also be provided here.

A main thrust of this course is to investigate how religious groups view and respond to the mass media as well as how community discourse shapes the kind of media technologies they use and the ways the implement them. Beginning such an investigation requires self-reflection, considering how personal views of the media, religion and popular culture influence our own perceptions.

"For what you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing: it also depends on what sort of person you are." - C. S. Lewis in The Magician's Nephew

According to this quote it is important to be aware of who you are and what you believe... as it affect how you interact with the rest of the world. This is especially important when dealing with issues related to religion and mass media. In order to help you begin on this process of self-reflection, to become aware of how your own beliefs effect how you see other, start by taking the Belief-o-matic quiz and come prepared to discuss your results in the next class.