Course content

Communications through text, sound and image are discussed in their mutual relation to economic, cultural, political and social change. Basic concepts and perspectives of Media History are introduced. The course adopts a broad definition of media and the idea that individual forms of media must be understood in relation to each other.

The course deals with the main outlines of Western media history with a specific focus on the 17th, 18th and early 19th centuries. The broad themes are the formation of a mediated public sphere and the emergence of media markets in relation to the growing industrial capitalism. We take a closer look at oral and written news media, the freedom of speech and censorship, the postal system and the popular culture of chapbooks.

Course design

The teaching consists of lectures, seminars and exercises, carried out both in the classroom and at our digital platform Canvas. You will practise your skills in writing in papers and in digital forums. Together with your fellow students you will explore historical source material and secondary literature and improve your ability to make oral presentations.

Further information

The course is given in our humanities and theology centre, LUX. This offers an exciting campus environment with a vibrant student life. Lund University has one of Sweden’s oldest and largest research libraries, and the library at LUX is one of 26 libraries within this network.

The course is a free-standing course for beginners. It is given as a full-time course once a year, during the autumn semester (daytime). The course can be part of the first level course in Media History. It can be included in a first or second-cycle degree.