Do Financial Situations have an Effect on Social Capital?

Social capital can be described simply as the glue that holds society together. Social capital is the networks connecting individuals within communities to each other through clubs, organizations, and groups. It’s one of the most important parts of a functioning society, and creates a sense of unity and togetherness. Social capital is also important because …

The Effects of Media on Civic Engagement Between Different Age Groups

Levels of civic engagement vary between different age groups for a variety of different reasons and factors. One of the main reasons Robert D. Putnam mentioned in his book, Bowling Alone, for this divide was established generational differences. Older generations faced a variety of hardships that forced them to rely and depend on each other. …

Why Does Bias Matter?

Bias is almost unnoticeable yet all pervasive in the media we consume and the news outlets we listen to. But what is bias exactly? There are multiple forms of bias but the major form of bias that connects with the topics of this course is media bias. In the simplest terms, "media bias is the …

Conspiracy Theories Continue to Proliferate Thanks to Digital Journalism

In this day and age of digital journalism, it has become increasingly easier for individuals on the Internet to produce media and content of whatever topic they choose and spread their information around quickly and efficiently. While this quality of the Internet is helpful in the case of alerting the public of an emergency or …

Media Manipulation and Tabloids

Perhaps one of the most obvious examples of media manipulation circulating in our news feeds currently is the tabloid industry. For some context, media manipulation is the distortion of facts and fiction in the media. Manipulation of the media can be carried out by entire industries or simply an individual on the Internet. The danger …