Final Year Degree Research

In the third and final year of my BA (Hon's) Communications Studies
Degree I did original research in four main areas, detailed below.
My completed dissertation (topic 3 here) is posted in full, via the link below.
I hope to post further essays on the site when I get a PC!

1. The future of the British cinema exhibition industry. 
Are we seeing a genuine resurgence of the exhibition sector, or will 
the boom soon bust, leaving us no better off than in the 1980s? Are 
American exhibition chains effectively running the show?

2. Film theory and aesthetics. 
Is the medium of film best used for entertainment or art? 
Does film constitute an art form? Can film-art be reconciled with a 
profit-driven entertainment industry? Have any recent films achieved 
this?

3. The importance of popular music (dissertation topic).
Popular music is ubiquitous in everyday life. We all talk about it, 
and as a nation we spend a lot of money on it. So why is it considered
as repetitive garbage by so many? Even within cultural studies a 
division is made between 'intelligent' rock music and 'mindless' pop 
music. Is this fair, and how do we go about defending pop music? Was 
Theodor Adorno correct in his assertion that pop music is based on 
standardization and pseudo-individualisation? Does his theory account
for hip-hop, rap, etc? 

4. Are political parties being displaced by pressure groups?
Do we even need political parties? Do pressure groups offer more 
genuine opportunities for participation than political parties?

This work has now been completed, but any comments you may have are
welcomed. 

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