This course will explore the historical and contemporary roles of media in international affairs, both as a source of information and, increasingly, as an important medium of war and diplomacy. The seminar is composed of three tracks. The first is historical, focusing on the dual development of colonial and media empires from early days of print media to the Internet. The second is theoretical, using classical IR and critical theory to examine media as product and instrument of cultural, economic and political struggles. The third is practical, using biweekly 'Global Media Labs' in which  guest media practitioners teamed with media theorists will present master classes in a variety of media, including print, photography, radio, cinema, television, and online convergences . Combining history, theory, critical viewing, film screenings, and media production, and based on a retrospective study of news media, documentaries, and critical media theory, the course will map the complex contemporary global media environment where the satellite, Internet and cell phone, among other recent technologies, have created a new panorama of messages, meanings and stratagems directly affecting international politics.

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