Media, Political Communication and International Relations

Year
3
Academic year
2022-2023
Code
01019504
Subject Area
Other areas
Language of Instruction
English
Mode of Delivery
Face-to-face
ECTS Credits
6.0
Type
Elective
Level
1st Cycle Studies

Recommended Prerequisites

Basic notions of international politics. Good English (reading and listening) comprehension and (speaking and writing) expression skills.

Teaching Methods

Theoretical-practical classes combine a first expository part accompanied by multimedia resources referring to the class material and a second part dedicated to the discussion of texts and case studies. Students should prepare the discussion of texts, videos or other materials identified as being discussed in the classroom. Some classes will have a more pronounced practical component, with these sessions being indicated as “Workshops” in the program schedule.

Learning Outcomes

This course aims to shed light and critically analyse the articulation between media and international relations through political communication. It intends to provide the fundamental theoretical and conceptual bases of political communication in contemporary international relations and foster critical perspectives vis-a-vis the different processes, agencies and contexts (visible and invisible; formal and informal) through which political communication unfolds within today's international relations. This course associates theoretical-analytical components with the development of practical political communication skills. 

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Introduction to political communication in the international sphere

1.2 Understandings of “political”, “international”, “media”, “political communication”

1.3. Fundamental theoretical concepts and perspectives

2. Contexts that shape political communication

2.1. (Dis)information order

2.2 Media and political systems

2.3.Mass media and digital media

2.4.Information, entertainment and soft news

3. Political processes of creating narratives, beliefs and profiles

3.1. Strategic use of language

3.2. Dissemination strategies

4. Actors, dynamics and languages

4.1. States

4.2. International organizations

4.3. Social movements

4.4. NGOs

4.5 Arts, music and cinema

5. Thematic case studies

5.1.Fake news, bots and computational propaganda

5.2.Extreme-right, masculinities and #metoo

5.3. “War against Terrorism”: micro and macro narratives

5.4. Climate justice and political and media representations

6. Challenges to political communication in international relations.

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Periodic or by final exam as given in the course information: 100.0%

Bibliography

Akinson, J.D. (2011), Alternative Media and politics of resistance. New York: Peter Lang.

Chadwick, A. (2007), “Digital Network Repertoires and Organizational Hybridity”, Political Communication, 24(3)

Gilboa, E. (2000), "Mass Communication and Diplomacy: A Theoretical Framework", Communication Theory, 10(3).

Howartd, Philip (2020), Lie Machines.Yale University Press.

Kensi, K. & Jamieson, K. H.(2017), The Oxford Handbook of Political Communication. 

LOUW, E. (2005), The Media and Politics Process, London: Sage.

McNair, B. (2011), Introduction to Political Communication, London: Routledge.

Robinson, P. (2002), The CNN Effect: The Myth of News Media, Foreign Policy and Intervention. Routledge.

Ryan, Marie Laure (2004), Narratives across media: The Languages of storytelling. University of Nebraska Press.

Scheufele, D. A., & Tewksbury, D. (2007), “Framing, agenda-setting, and priming: The evolution of three media effects models”. Journal of Communication, 57.