Media and Activism ESSAY using a specific research methodology

Hello!

My name is Antonio and I am a second year Interactive Media student at Bournemouth Univeristy.(England)

I have been set an essay question(2000 words) on Media and Activism - and so far, I find it very difficult to take a direction with it

Heres the question.:

'Explore two in-depth examples of 'activism in action', through a specific critical research methodology (i.e. historical analysis, Marxist analysis, discourse analysis) and with reference to key concepts explored in the unit. To what extent can we consider these examples to be effective forms of 'activism'?'

The bit which troubles me the most is exploring the relevant examples through a specific critical research methodology. How would i do that? Can anyone give me any examples on how to apply "historial analysis" or "marxist analysis"?

ANY help will be much,much,much appreciated.

Thanks for your time!!

Okay so this stuff is way over my head, but I'm going to try to help you. I researched and so media activism is activism that uses media and communication technologies for social movement. Alright you probably already knew this.

Historical Analysis:
Historical analysis is less a separate analytical framework or approach than it is an element that should be present in any analysis of popular culture. Observing and analyzing changes over time is essential to understanding why a contemporary text is the way it is. We cannot understand our present without understanding our past. And we cannot fully imagine change without a sense of how our culture has changed over time. Our ability to understand the improvements in and the limits of current media representations of African Americans, for example, is greatly enhanced by viewing two documentaries that detail the history of African American representations in the mass media, Ethnic Notions and Color Adjustment.

Marxist Analysis
Unlike many approaches to the mass media Marxism acknowledges the importance of explicit theory. Marxist 'critical theory' exposes the myth of 'value-free' social science. Marxist perspectives draw our attention to the issue of political and economic interests in the mass media and highlight social inequalities in media representations. Marxism helps to situate media texts within the larger social formation. Its focus on the nature of ideology helps us to deconstruct taken-for-granted values. Ideological analysis helps us to expose whose reality we are being offered in a media text.The term Marxian analysis strictly refers to the particular analysis made by Marx himself, like the critique of capitalism and its characteristic commodity fetishism, division of labour-production.

So im guessing that once you have your examples of "activism in action" like the dalai lama and what he did in india, or fidel castro rising to power then you break them down and analyze them through historical analysis like what was happening in history at that tome to influence them, nf marxist analysis which would be using Marx's views to evaluate the situation. I hope I kind of helped.

You have helped! Thank you very much!

You actually explained it better than the 8 lectures I attended this term on the unit, so thank you very much for that.

I will be taking a historic approach to the essay as I find the easiest.

Once again thanks, your help is much appreciated!

lol yeah i would use the historical approach too, but the Marxist analysis does sound cool. Glad I was able to help!!!!!!!!!