The concept of social communication is used heuristically in both the programme and the course since a solid academic paradigm of social communication is yet to form. It aims to capture the blurring conceptual boundary between existing communication institutions as well as education due to rapid change in media technology and people’s media practices. This course is designed to navigate students to attend to changes and transformation of media-related social practices to develop students' understanding and critical appreciation of the distinctive features of new/digital media and how these relate to 'old' media. The module is attentive to the complex inter-relations between 'new' and the established or 'old' media. It locates digital media as the latest of several waves of technology-enabled communication systems. With the method of case study, students are expected to integrate what they have learnt in other major courses for critically analysing the factors, conditions, dynamics and consequences of changing media practices. Concepts and theories in sociology, politics and cultural studies will be introduced in due course. And students are expected to be able to analyse issues in media and communication in the sociopolitical and cultural context, and also to argue how to respond to the changes.