This course deals with how media impact life and death issues and how the forces of politics affect media. It explores the relationship between media, genocide, war, and peace within a changing media environment, marked by rapid technological and political changes and the growth of new political and media organizations. It examines how media makers—corporations, states, political leaders, advocates, and journalists—try to influence constituents, their own audiences, and foreign audiences, and how audiences respond. How are wars and peace efforts covered? How are the parties portrayed? How are they represented in mass media? How might the coverage affect life and death? How do media’s structures and norms impact portrayals? With the traditional roles and relationships rapidly changing, we explore the various ways that media influence the politics of violence, alongside diplomacy, foreign policy, conflict resolution and human rights. We’ll study the factors that help determine the shape of media content—by political actors and leaders, advocates and journalists—and how they vie for audience shares. And we’ll seek to understand processes by which their mass media messages influence our thinking, emotions and behaviors. Further, we’ll explore how technology has changed media structure, content and impact. Finally, we’ll consider the ethical considerations related to mass media structure, content and delivery.