Course content

Basic concepts and perspectives of Media History are introduced throughout four modules. The modules are organised chronologically and address the most important strands of development in Media History and key perspectives on them. Communications through text, sound and image are discussed continuously in their mutual relation to economic, cultural, political and social change. 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 first module is an introduction to the subject. Chronologically the module covers pre-historic time until the 16th century. Important themes are the relation between oral and writing based cultures, the introduction of the printing press and its connections with the religious conflicts and the formation of nation states.

The second module 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.

The third module traces the emergence of the modern media landscape, from the mid-19th century until the 1940s. The thematic focus is the entangled development of national and transnational media such as telegraphic communication systems. For instance, we take a closer look at the changes of the late 19th century press industry, the transformation of the contributors to the press from literary men to journalists, the role of advertising and consumption in mass society, the development of audio media (radio, telephone and phonograph) between private and public listening, early film, and media and propaganda in the World War era.

The last module focuses on the new media technologies that have emerged and spread in the wake of the Second World War. A clear emphasis is placed on digital media and network cultures, as well as the broad influence of television. Highlighted themes are the cultural understanding of technological development, convergence culture and intermedial relations. We also discuss the press media environment and the changing conditions for journalism, along with analogue and digital sound media. 

Course design

The teaching consists of lectures, seminars and exercises, carried out both in the classroom and at our digital learning platform. You will practise your skills in writing and analysing in your own blog, 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 given as a full-time course (daytime). The course is a free-standing course for beginners. It can be included in a first or second-cycle degree. 

Media History can be studied as a complement to other subjects, besides History, such as Journalism, Media- and communication studies, Information studies, Art and film studies, Sociology, Political Science or Gender studies. Media History is useful in a variety of professions such as history or media teacher, journalist, communicator, museum curator, librarian, book publisher, archivist, investigator.