| CODE | GDM5118 | |||||||||
| TITLE | Myths, Realities and Ageism in Media Representations of Ageing and Dementia | |||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | |||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | |||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | |||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Gerontology and Dementia Studies | |||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit will explore and discuss how stereotypes of older adults are featured in news, tv shows, films, advertisements, or magazines. Generally, older adults are portrayed as going through a process of decline and diminished value, highlighting the negative stereotypical 鈥渂urden鈥漮f growing old. However, there are also positive representations of older people in the media which will also be explored in this study unit. In addition, dementia is often misrepresented in media, adding to the misinformation that is already existent in society. The media鈥檚鈥榯oneand unspoken partiality鈥檌s often a greater influence on what people think, believe, and do rather than evidence-based facts. Such negative language and portrayal about ageing and/or dementia, shape and reflect society鈥檚attitudes and responses to growing older and by extension, to population ageing. This has created a warped view of ageing resulting, in many cases, in low expectations of ageing that extend into all areas of life, including the workplace and healthcare. The media thus can (and does) have a potent influence on public attitudes and opinions and, because of this, ultimately public policy. This study-unit will include a variety of teaching and learning activities, including forum discussions, audio-visual resources, and individual and group tasks. It will take place over one semester. Study-Unit Aims: This study-unit aims to help students understand how media has an impact on our perceptions, attitudes and subsequent behaviours. Through these lectures, students will be able to become critical consumers of media rather than accepting portrayals of older adults and their carers passively. Students can thus gain skills that enable them to challenge public attitudes and opinions in regards to stereotypical representations of older adults and dementia. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - discuss human ageing as a combination of psychological, social, and biological processes; - define ageism; - discuss how ageism during different transitions in the lives of older people is represented in the media, such as during retirement; - discuss practical and ethical issues arising from ageist representations in the media; - critique stereotypical representations of older persons in various media forms in settings such as workplace and healthcare services; - identify positive representations of older persons in various media forms in settings such as workplace and healthcare services; - discuss how ageism in the media can influence policy in various settings, such as workplace, healthcare, and community; and 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - identify stereotypes of ageism in the media; - reflect on how these stereotypes influence interactions with older people; - critically analyse stereotypical messages on older people; - verbalise ideas in non-stereotypical manner; and - represent older people in policy decision making in various settings. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: Grist, H., & Jennings, R. (2020). Carers, Care Homes and the British Media Time to Care (1st ed.). Palgrave Macmillan. (Available in Library) Harrington, C., Bielby, D., & Bardo, A. (2014). Aging, media, and culture. Blue Ridge Summit: The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group. (Available in Library) Supplementary Readings: Anderson, C. (2019). Discourses of Ageing and Gender: The Impact of Public and Private Voices on the Identity of Ageing Women (1st ed.). Palgrave Macmillan (Available in Library) Rodan, D., Ellis, K. & Lebeck, P. (2014). Disability, obesity and ageing: popular media identifications. Ashgate Publishing Limited. (Available in Library) Selected articles:: Givskov, C., & Petersen, L. (2018). Media and the ageing body: Introduction to the special issue. European Journal of Cultural Studies, 21(3), 281-289. (Available in Library) Givskov, C., & Petersen, L. (2018). Media and the ageing body: Introduction to the special issue. European Journal of Cultural Studies, 21(3), 281-289. (Available in Library) Helmuth, L. (2005). Ageing research in the media. How the demands of newspaper and magazine publishing influence what people read about aging. EMBO Reports, 6 Spec No(S1), S81-S83. (Available in Library) Herndon, A. (2015). Disability, obesity, and ageing: Popular media identifications. Disability & Society, 30(9), 1444-1445. (Available in Library) Lundgren, A., & Ljuslinder, K. (2012). 鈥淭he baby-boom is over and the ageing shock awaits鈥�: Populist media imagery in news-press representations of population ageing. International Journal of Ageing and Later Life: IJAL, 6(2), 39-71. (Available in Library) Mosberg Iversen, S., & Wilinska, M. (2019). Ageing, old age and media: Critical appraisal of knowledge practices in academic research. International Journal of Ageing and Later Life: IJAL, 14(1), 1-29. (Available in Library) Slevec, J., & Tiggemann, M. (2010). Attitudes Toward Cosmetic Surgery in Middle-Aged Women: Body Image, Aging Anxiety, and the Media. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 34(1), 65-74. (Available in Library) Tortajada, I., Dhaenens, F., & Willem, C. (2018). Gendered ageing bodies in popular media culture. Feminist Media Studies, 18(1), 1-6. (Available in Library) |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Independent Study and Online Learning | |||||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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