Module manager: Katy Thornton
Email: K.Thornton2@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
| COMM3925 | War and Media |
This module is not approved as an Elective
This module examines the role of the media during wartime. Using both historical and contemporary case studies, students will examine how media-military relationships developed through the 20th century, and how rapid changes in communication technologies have transformed the way audiences engage in wars in the digital age. The lectures will cover relevant themes such as propaganda, popular culture in conflict, the gendered nature of war coverage, iconic war images, and how technologies such as drones and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are changing how wars are represented and remembered. Please note this is an optional module and runs subject to enrolments. If a low number of students choose this module, then the module may not run and you may be asked to choose another module.
On completion of this module, students should be able to ...
The module aims to provide students with an informed understanding of the main theoretical and critical debates associated with war and media. Students will explore the political and historical contexts, which shape both the media reporting of war and how audiences engage with distant conflicts. The module includes a range of media, including news, film, documentary, social media, and Gen AI imagery. Through a series of case studies from twentieth century to the present time, the module examines significant issues of military-media strategies and journalistic relationships during wartime, with students gaining an understanding of key factors believed to shape war coverage and cultural remembrance of war. Students will gain knowledge and reading skills which enable a critical appraisal of the scholarly literature on concepts such as the 'mediatisation' of conflict, 'bearing witness’, and war in the age of the smart phone. We will draw upon the historical developments in the relationship between media and war to evaluate how intertwined media technologies and war operations are in the current era.
The module covers issues such as propaganda and disinformation, how films, games and TV shows contribute to cultural understandings of war, drone technology, media witnessing and ethical spectatorship, how Artificial Intelligence is changing the visualisation of war, and how wars are remembered through the media. Seminars will consist of activities and discussions developed to ensure students’ understanding of lecture material and assigned readings, and to enhance analytical skills. The module will enable students to evaluate and contribute to ethical, aesthetic and theoretical debates about the role of media in war.
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
Demonstrate a systematic and critical understanding of theoretical and methodological debates in the interdisciplinary study of media and war, synthesising competing perspectives to inform independent analysis.
Critically evaluate media representations of war and conflict through the application of advanced theoretical and analytical frameworks, recognising the complexities of political, cultural, and historical contexts.
Exercise critical judgement in evaluating the reliability, ethical implications, and integrity of communication technologies, information sources, and media practices in conflict environments, reflecting on their implications for public knowledge and democratic accountability.
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
4. Apply digital literacy skills to generate and critique Gen AI images in comparison with iconic media imagery
5. Effectively communicate knowledge and ideas about how media represent war using appropriate research techniques
6. Reflect on the ethical and political implications of how war and its consequences are represented in the media
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Seminar | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Private study hours | 280 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 20 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 300 | ||
The assessment regime is designed to support a staged development of skills and knowledge throughout the duration of this module, and to allow for ongoing peer and tutor feedback via the seminars. Students submit their critique midway through the module, so that feedback can be returned before the final portfolio submission.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Critique | Critique | 40 |
| Portfolio | Portfolio | 60 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
For the critique: students can choose another iconic image. For the Portfolio, students can improve work that has failed, or choose different weekly tasks. For non-submissions, students should follow the guidance in the assessment briefs – the resit format is the same.
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 01/07/2026
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