Course Catalogue

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This course introduces students to theories and empirical research about the media's role in relations between states. The course encourages scrutiny of governments' use of the media as a foreign policy tool, both historically and in the contemporary period. It invites students to consider factors that influence the reporting of foreign news and international conflicts, as well as challenges generated by globalisation of the media.

Lecture: one hour per week, for 10 weeks

Tutorial: one hour per week, for 10 weeks

Entry to Honours Politics or IR requires a grade point average of 12 (Grade C) over Politics 2A and Politics 2B as a first attempt.

POLITIC3025 - International Political Communication

None

One essay of up to 2,000 words (40%);

One policy memo of up to 800 words, written under open-book exam conditions (40%).

Completing weekly questions about readings in a peer-review tool and responding to the answers submitted by peers (20%).

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. Where, exceptionally, reassessment on Honours courses is required to satisfy professional/accreditation requirements, only the overall course grade achieved at the first attempt will contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below.

This course aims to introduce students to theories and empirical research relating to the media's role in relations between states. Students will develop a critical understanding of concepts including propaganda, public diplomacy and strategic narratives, while evaluating related arguments about the media's role as a source of power in international politics. Students will investigate how democratic and non-democratic governments have deployed the media as tools of foreign policy, considering historical and contemporary examples. They will also learn about factors which influence foreign news reporting and the reporting of international conflicts.

The course aims to give students the skills, knowledge and confidence to develop their own well-informed arguments about the power and influence of the media in international politics.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

■ Critically evaluate concepts and theories which feature in research on the media's role in international politics, including propaganda, public diplomacy, soft power and strategic narratives.

■ Interpret the findings of qualitative and quantitative empirical research explaining patterns in foreign news coverage, international conflict reporting and the impact of the media on a range of outcomes in international politics.

■ Apply relevant concepts, theories and empirical evidence appropriately when analysing the strategic communication activities of governments and other actors across a range of international political contexts, both historical and contemporary.

■ Produce sophisticated, well-informed arguments in speech and in writing in response to questions raised during the course, making sound judgments in the absence of complete data.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.