After completing the course, the participants will recognise factors influencing international debate that relate to journalistic duties and the media industry in the Arctic region. The participants will be able to analyse discussions related to the Arctic region and evaluate various journalistic means of managing conflict sensitive topics. The participants will have gained deeper knowledge of the chosen media environment and have developed expertise in questions of substance and working methods that relate to the media and the Arctic region.
The course provides an in-depth analysis of the way the media represents and mediates the Arctic region, and an examination of the changes and challenges taking place in the area. The participants will acquire knowledge about global media and the issues related to the Arctic region, especially in the Scandinavian and Russian Arctic regions. The participants will conduct their own media projects during the course.

The Arctic is becoming the focus of worldwide interest due to climate change and the utilisation of the region’s natural resources. It has seen the emergence of new industries, environmental pressures and geopolitical tensions. Meanwhile, academic and public discourse and the media are facing the challenge of finding adequate ways to discuss developments in the region.

The course includes an international event “Media and the Arctic: Master Class in Tampere, Finland, 26–30 November 2018”, organised by the Tampere Research Centre for Russian and Chinese Media (TaRC). Six distinguished and accomplished journalists and media professionals will join teachers from the University of Tampere to share their expertise with students and media professionals in an intensive, one-week Master Class.

The coursework will consist of pre-assignments, five contact teaching days, and a journalistic or other media-related final assignment dealing with the themes of the Master Class. Attendance on all five days and active participation in one of the workgroups is required.

Further information

The course will be taught with a major focus on discussion, critical thinking, and individual and collaborative work. The course will be taught in English; no knowledge of any other language is required.

The course is free for students of the University of Tampere and TaRC’s partner universities. There is a course fee for working media professionals, but such applicants can apply for a grant from Journalistisen kulttuurin edistämissäätiö, JOKES (see https://www.jokes-saatio.fi/).

For more information, please contact the TaRC personnel at the Faculty of Communications, University of Tampere:

Coordinator Mika Perkiömäki mika.perkiomaki@staff.uta.fi

Senior Lecturer in Journalism Ari Heinonen ari.a.heinonen@staff.uta.fi

Researcher Dmitry Yagodin dmitry.yagodin@staff.uta.fi

Professor of Russian Language and Culture Arja Rosenholm arja.rosenholm@staff.uta.fi

Professor of Journalism Heikki Luostarinen heikki.luostarinen@staff.uta.fi

Enrolment begins on Monday 13 August 2018 at 10 am and ends on Friday 14 September 2018 at 4 pm.

Participation in all the contact teaching days and active participation in one of the workgroups. Completion and submission of the pre-assignment and the final assignment by the given deadlines.

The participants will be granted access to the study materials via an online learning environment by the end of September 2018.

Contact teaching will be organised as an intensive Master Class between 26 and 30 November 2018 at the University of Tampere. The venues will be announced at a later date. The schedule for the week:

Day 1: Mon 26 November 2018, 10 am – 5 pm

Day 2: Tue 27 November 2018, 9 am – 9 pm

Day 3: Wed 28 November 2018, 9 am – 5 pm

Day 4: Thu 29 November 2018, 9 am – 5 pm

Day 5: Fri 30 November 2018, 9 am – 3 pm

The Master Class will also include a voluntary evening programme and networking.

The course will be beneficial for students with a background in Russian studies, politics, communication, media (JMMETUS), journalism (JOUJOVTS), intercultural communication, visual studies or Eastern European studies. However, students with backgrounds in other disciplines are also welcome.