The New School Graduate Program in International Affairs

The GPIA Media & Culture in International Development (MCID) concentration explores theory and practice in the intersections of politics, economics, press and entertainment, public and state policy, and international and domestic cultural conditions. In particular, we focus on the fascinating and complex relationship between media and democracy around the world. We pay equal consideration to the role of state and private institutions, with attention to their positive and negative influences on the media in both democratic and non-democratic societies.

MCID is by necessity an interdisciplinary concentration. The study of the global media environment is impossible without knowledge of local cultural contexts, both foreign and domestic, requiring an open conversation between the disciplines constituting the arts, humanities, and human sciences.

Objectives

(1). To provide students with a theoretical understanding of and practical experience with the complexities of information and media in a culturally diverse world;

(2). To generate an ongoing exchange of ideas with professionals and experts who have been covering the field as journalists or scholars;

(3). To provide students with the communication skills and experience needed to function effectively in a diverse world with its variety of traditions, attitudes, and problems; and

(4). To introduce students not only to the special role of the Media as catalyst for opinions and ideas in a democratic society, but also to make them understand the immense responsibility that entails.

Please note that GPIA’s MCID concentration does not offer professional training in print and broadcast journalism. To follow this career path, students are advised to apply to The New School’s Media Studies Program. GPIA students are nevertheless encouraged to enroll in elective “skill” courses offered in Media Studies to broaden their experience (see curriculum section for more information).

To learn more about the Media & Culture Concentration please contact the Concentration Chair, Professor Nina L. Khrushcheva, at Room 603. Sonja Uwimana is the current Concentration Associate. Please contact her with questions, suggestions or concerns.