124268 AR Cultural/Media Studies 1/2 (AR) (2024S)

Since the 2016 presidential elections in the US and the emergence of the so called "Bernie Revolution" -- the candidacy of Bernie Sanders and the newly invigorated Left as an organized political movement, many YouTube channels have emerged as well and established themselves as a part of the "online left". Podcasters, commentators, (former) activists and professional journalists found a new home and regard themselves as "independent media", the digital media space that offers counter programming to the mainstream or "legacy" media and alt-right personalities that have gained popularity in social media. The "drama" that often ensues and is one main component of their content making is not limited to the conflict between the independent and mainstream media, left v. right or progressive. conservative, but also within the ranks of leftist independent podcasters themselves, which sometimes might lead to veritable "wars", "feuds" and drama with some serious examination of the meaning of political ideology, conviction and the relation to activism in real life.

In this course the students will explore and analyse some of the YouTube channels within the context of Big Tech-digital capitalism, and combine critical theory, politics, critique of ideology from perspective of media theory and aesthetics. The aim of the course is to combine a critical reading of theoretical texts and analysis of YouTube videos and find different approaches to readings of digital media that explicitly deals with politico-ideological issues of late capitalism and the American society. We will also deal with podcasting as a precarious job and ask the question if and how this relates to the politics of these channels.

The course will consist of short lectures intertwined with discussions, and reading groups.