Best Critical Investigations 2011

Here are the very best Critical Investigations from this year - all worthy grade A essays. Well done for producing excellent work!

They contain a wealth of research that is directly relevant for the MEST 3 exam, particularly those on New/Digital Media and Representation (the two Section B topics that need to be revised). Try to read/make notes on as many as possible in preparation, at the very least identifying a few quotes/ideas from each one that you think could be useful...

NEW/DIGITAL MEDIA

How and why is violence so prevalent in modern videogames, and should audiences be better protected from it through censorship? (Kalbir)

How and why does graphic violence within video games such as ‘Call of Duty’ attract a teenage demographic? (Bilal)

Why are video games such as 'Call of Duty:Modern Warfare 2' and 'Grand Theft Auto IV' becoming more violent? How is this a concern? (Parminder)

REPRESENTATION

Despite the success of 'Slumdog Millionaire' why is it that there is still a lack of South Asian actors in Hollywood? (Ranjot)

How does the R&B genre construct certain gender ideologies around artists such as Ne-Yo and Rihanna? Why might these ideologies be considered post-feminist? (Mariam)

How and why does the horror/thriller genre exaggerate the mentally ill in films such as ‘Shutter Island’ and ‘The Uninvited’? (Megan)

GENRE/AUDIENCE

How effective is aspirational advertising such as ‘Paco Rabanne: 1 Million’ and perfume advertising in general, in influencing male consumer lifestyles, and why is this the case? (Sonia)

How are reality TV documentaries, such as 'Wife Swap' and 'Supernanny' constructed? Why is this genre so popular? (Bianca)

Why is celebrity culture abundant in reality TV shows such as 'MTV Cribs' and how does the ideology presented affect the audience? (Raheam)