这是一门针对大学本科同学的通识课。本课程通过展示成为大众媒体（主要是纪录片）讨论焦点的各种议题，引导同学关注和理解各种社会问题。课程同时介绍与社会问题相关的一些社会学、传播学等社会科学的基本的知识、理论与分析方法，在案例教学过程中使同学学会应用这些理论和方法，独立思考和分析各种社会现象。 本课程着重介绍与同学生活经验有关的社会议题和理论。内容包含社会不平等、社会阶层、社会控制、集体行为、社会运动与社会变迁等议题。不仅包括中国的案例，我们更会在全球化的语境下从传统媒体和新媒体中挑选各国的案例，看看大众媒体为我们展现出了怎样的今日世界。 对于大众传播对社会生活的影响，本课程希望大家能够从各种角度进行思考，以期让学生对此社会问题有更深入的了解与批判。 This is a general education course for college students. The course designed to introduce theories concerning social problems or an empirical examination of specific issues that have become the object of Mass Communication. This course examines those aspects of sociological theories and social issues which are relevant to students in their life situations. Topics include social inequality, social stratification, deviance, social control, collective behavior, social movement and social change. Not only focusing on Chinese case, but also we will discuss the issues in a global context to argue that the global media, Internet, social media are shaping today's world. Building on a comprehensive overview of the history of the study of mass communication and social problems, the course enables students to critically engage with contemporary debates on the social, political and cultural roles of mass communication in modern societies.