The representation of black lives in writing, art, politics and society bears a legacy of erasure, suppression and denial, a practice sometimes referred to by critics as "whitewashing". This legacy, undoubtedly linked to the growth of modern European imperialism in the wake of Columbus's American encounters, can often obscure the history of black people and their cultural output in different periods. From the "whitening" of Ancient Egypt--whereby it was situated within a European Mediterranean world, as opposed to an African one--to quiescence about the presence of black people in Britain prior to the Second World War, black representation in world history often featured as a kind of absence prior to the 1960s. This module aims to examine representations of black lives and cultural output over a broad range of fields, including the visual arts, literature, history and politics, and in different historical periods. It investigates what it means to be black--generally understood as a social category or construct relating to Africans and their descendants, whether Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Latin, African American or Black British--in relation to critical discourses of ethnicity, race and postcolonialism.

This is an optional module, which offers the opportunity to work collaboratively to conceive, create, design and publish a newspaper supplement which will be distributed with the Colchester Gazette. It is a great opportunity to put into practice the skills you have learned, to work in different parts of the newspaper production process, and to see your work – and your name – in print.

This module introduces you to the theory and practice of journalism in a global context, and current important debates in media and communication. It aims to complement the practical skills you have developed in producing for multiple media platforms. The module addresses contemporary trends at the heart of global journalism and ensuing critical questions, by exploring journalistic practices and their meaning in different political, regulatory and cultural contexts. It aims to expand your horizons to assess critical questions going beyond the simple production of a news story. We will explore topical and timely issues such as globalisation, mediatization and mediation, framing conflicts, international politics, propaganda, democracy, and populism, among other important topics.

This module deals with the principles and practicalities of photojournalism. It starts with a review of the basic principles of newsgathering and production, moves to the practical skills required of the relevant legal and ethical considerations. Technical skills addressed include selection and composition, use of the camera, management of images and meta-data and image production.