Portfolio Task 6- Theory Into Practice

Look at the CTS blog that Garry Barker has been writing to complement the lecture programme this year. Write a short response to one of the posts on the blog. Use the ideas that Garry is discussing to mount a short critical evaluation of one piece of Graphic design that you have produced on Level 5.

Garry Barker's blog

Portfolio Task 5- Sustainability & Capitalism

Read the text- Balser, E (2008) 'Capital Accumulation, Sustainability & Hamilton Ontario'. We have copies in the CTS office, 115.

Write a 500 word critical summary of the text which explicitly adresses the following questions

1. How is sustainability defined in the text?
2. What are the main characteristics or tendencies of Capitalism
3. Define a 'crisis of Capitalism'. Offer an example.
4. What solutions have been offered to the sustainability question? Are these successful or realistic? - If not why are they flawed?
5. Is the concept of sustainability compatible with Capitalism?

Portfolio Task 4- Communication Theory

Use Shannon & Weaver's model of the communication process to write a 300-400 word analysis of a work of Graphic Design. Comment on the ways in which the piece of Graphic Design attempts to communicate to a specific audience, using techniques of redundancy, entropy or noise.

Look at Fiske, J. (2002) 'An Introduction To Communication Studies' if you are struggling.

Merry Xmas & A Happy New Year!

Seminars resume on 10th January. Happy Holidays!
Richard

Portfolio Task 3- Essay Ideas

Propose a topic and working title for your Level 5 essays. Your proposal should include-

5 bullet points explaining the main thrust of your argument.
Your chosen methodological approach
At least 5 texts (referenced using Harvard) from the library that you think will be useful for this essay, with a comment next to each explaining why.
A .jpeg of a relevant image that you may discuss in the essay, again briefly explaining why.

Portfolio Task 2- On Popular Music

Quickly read Adorno's (1941) article 'On Popular Music' (links below). In no more than a few paragraphs, summarise his ideas on pop music, concentrating on key points such as 'standardisation', 'psuedo-individualisation' etc.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Post a link to a YouTube pop video that, in your opinion, epitomises Adorno's sentiments. Explain why, trying to emphasise the links to the wider 'culture industry' in general.

If you are struggling, here's an example I found to get you thinking...

Portfolio Task 1- Panopticism

Choose an example of one aspect of contemporary culture that is, in your opinion, panoptic. Write an explanation of this, in approximately 200-300 words, employing key Foucauldian language, such as 'Docile Bodies' or 'self-regulation, and using not less than 5 quotes from the text 'Panopticism' in Thomas, J. (2000) 'Reading Images', NY, Palgrave McMillan.