G325 Critical Perspectives In Media

Candidates must choose one of the following topic areas, in advance of the examination and, through specific case studies, texts, debates and research of the candidates’ choice, prepare to demonstrate understanding of the contemporary issue. This understanding must combine knowledge of at least two media and a range of texts, industries, audiences and debates, but these are to be selected by the centre / candidate. The assessment of the response will be generic, allowing for the broadest possible range of responses within the topic area chosen. Each topic is accompanied by four prompt questions, and candidates must be prepared to answer an exam question that relates to one or more of these four prompts. There should be emphasis on the historical, the contemporary and the future in relation to the chosen topic, with most attention on the present. Centres are thus advised to ensure that study materials for this unit are up to date and relevant.

Topic Content Prompts

Candidates are free to study any media texts, theories, case studies, debates and issues, providing they relate to the four prompts for the topic area selected. The exam question will relate to one or more of the prompts.

Media and Collective Identity

1. How do the contemporary media represent nations, regions and ethnic / social / collective groups of people in different ways?
    

1. How does contemporary representation compare to previous time periods?
2. What are the social implications of different media representations of groups of people?
3. To what extent is human identity increasingly ‘mediated’?
    
   Candidates might explore combinations of any media representation across two media, or two different representations across two media. Some examples are:
   National cinema, television representations, magazines and gender, representations of youth and youth culture, post-9/11 representations of Islam, absence / presence of people with disability in two media.
   Further Guidance
   Section 1
   In order for candidates to be best prepared for the exam, it is suggested that preparation for G325 should take place alongside production work. However, centres are not recommended to design A2 production briefs purely to be ‘suitable‘ for G325. Rather, candidates should be guided in reflective, theoretical evaluation of production as an ongoing way of learning throughout their AS and A2 studies. Question 1(a) directly requests an evaluation of how candidates’ media production skills have developed progressively from AS to A2, so centres are advised to guide candidates through regular ‘audits’ of skills development. As the question for 1(b) is different in focus for each assessment session, and draws from a list of possible concepts, candidates should either prepare to answer on more than one of their productions (so they can choose the production in response to the specific demands of the question) or prepare an evaluation of one production which covers all of the possible concepts.
   Section 2
   In order to be fully prepared for the specific requirements of the question, the material studied by candidates must cover these three elements:

1. Historical – dependent on the requirements of the topic, candidates must summarise the development of the media forms in question in theoretical contexts.
2. Contemporary – current issues within the topic area.
3. Future – candidates must demonstrate personal engagement with debates about the future of the media forms / issues that the topic relates to.
    

In order to preserve the flexibility and freedom for candidates / centres to tailor the topics to their own preferences / interests, the list of examples offered above should be taken as a starting point but certainly not as a prescribed set of content. However, centres should approach a topic with the following general guidance in mind. Credit will be given for work which can be adapted to the specific requirements of the question

For example, a candidate studying computer / video games for Post-modern Media will need to consider the status of games as post-modern in relation to their subversion of traditional text-reader relations, and discuss the avatar (embodiment of the player in character form onscreen) in terms of how this might challenge a traditional understanding of media representation. To cover the historical, contemporary and future perspectives, they will need to study the history of computer games as a media form, the current industry and contemporary theories / debates, and perspectives on the future of gaming in terms of players, designers and industries.

In addition, candidates will need to offer a balance of media theories, knowledge of texts and industries and personal engagement with issues and debates.