CCGL9011 Global Issues

Media in the Age of Globalization


Course Description

In this course, students will examine the role of the media in shaping the global and local societies, as well as the ways how growing access to information fosters knowledge sharing and citizen participation in public affairs and creates social problems such as privacy infringement, misinformation, and polarization. The students will explore if the global media really changes the power structure of information flow, production, and dissemination or actually reinforces the imbalance. Do the media technologies amount to an individual’s emancipation or serve as another form of exploitation? What is the role of the media in Hong Kong, China and the rest of the world? In a multipolar cultural world, how do citizens contribute to the conversation on local and global issues? The course will also reflect on critical social values such as the freedom of expression, information, privacy, and transparency, and investigate the impact of the social media, artificial intelligence and blockchain technology.

[This course is (re)designed as a “flipped classroom” mode. Students are required to prepare and complete pre-class activities (reading, videos, and research) before the class and participate weekly in-class activities and tutorials.]

Course Learning Outcomes

On completing the course, students will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate basic understanding of the global media system, in light of contending political, cultural and economic paradigms.
  2. Demonstrate basic understanding of the role of technology in the development of the global media system.
  3. Identify and demonstrate basic understanding of the mechanisms by which governments, and business interests influence the framing of news.
  4. Demonstrate basic understanding of the role of and impact of social media on the global dynamics of information flow and exchange.
  5. Demonstrate an awareness of the emergence of “new voices” in the global media.
  6. Demonstrate understanding of the issues of freedom of expression, privacy and transparency in relation to the global media.

Offer Semester and Day of Teaching

First semester (Wed)


Study Load

Activities Number of hours
Classroom sessions 24
Tutorials 5
Preparing materials and questions for discussion 46
Assessment: Group debate 45
Assessment: Essay writing 10
Total: 130

Assessment: 100% coursework

Assessment Tasks Weighting
In-class quizzes 20
Class participation 20
Group project 30
Individual essay 30

Required Reading

No required textbook. Readings and video material will be assigned weekly. Students are strongly recommended to read widely and stay up to date on current events and major local and global developments of media and technology.


Course Co-ordinator and Teacher(s)

Course Co-ordinator Contact
Professor K.W. Fu
Journalism and Media Studies Centre, Faculty of Social Sciences
Tel: 3917 1643
Email: kwfu@hku.hk
Teacher(s) Contact
Professor K.W. Fu
Journalism and Media Studies Centre, Faculty of Social Sciences
Tel: 3917 1643
Email: kwfu@hku.hk