Communication, Ethics and Democracy

Year
1
Academic year
2023-2024
Code
02048461
Subject Area
Journalism
Language of Instruction
Portuguese
Mode of Delivery
Face-to-face
Duration
SEMESTRIAL
ECTS Credits
10.0
Type
Compulsory
Level
2nd Cycle Studies - Mestrado

Recommended Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Teaching Methods

The teaching method seeks to combine three elements: lectures on theoretical contents of the curricular unit, which are the responsibility of the teacher (with particular emphasis on points I, II and part of III of the program; provision of mandatory reading texts for the realization of individual files) of student work; collective discussion of contemporary issues of journalism and communication.

Learning Outcomes

The course program aims to create the conditions so that in the end, the student can:

1. Identify the origins and significant currents of contemporary ethical thought and their political and communicational implications;

2. Know current perspectives of the ethics of communication on contemporary issues of the media, information, communication, and democracy;

3. Master critical concepts of information ethics, journalism, and communication;

4. To learn analysis methodologies and conceptual instruments or to develop independent thinking about dilemmatic situations in public communication.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

I. Ethical Inherits of Philosophical Ethics

. Virtue ethics

. Dentistry ethics

. Contractualism

. Consequentialist ethics

. Political perspectives: responsibility and conviction

 

II. Contemporary perspectives on ethics and communication

. Neo-Aristotelism

. Communication Ethics

. Ethics of responsibility

. Perspectives on the public space

 

III. Freedom of expression, freedom of the press, freedom of communication

. Freedoms of expression

. French Revolution and America Revolution

. Positive Freedom and Negative Freedom

. Perspectives on market-oriented freedom of expression and democracy

 

IV. Key concepts and concepts deviating from the ethics of journalism and communication

. Sensationalism

. Infotainment

. Objectivity

. Responsibility

. Public care

. Professionalism

. Normative perspectives on the ethics of communication and journalism.

Head Lecturer(s)

José Carlos Costa dos Santos Camponez

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Synthesis work: 10.0%
Discussion : 10.0%
Frequency: 40.0%
Research work: 40.0%

Bibliography

Ash, T. G. (2017). Liberdade de Expressão – Dez Princípios para um mundo interligado. Lisboa: Temas & Debates.

Edström, M. , Kenyon, A. T., & Svensson, E.-M. (Eds.) (2016).  Blurring the Lines – Market-driven and democracy-driven: Freedom of Expression. Göteborg: Nordicom.

Gómez, C. (Ed.) (2003). Doce Textos Fundamentales de la Ética del Siglo XX. Madrid: Alianza Editorial.

Johannesen, R., Valde, K., & Whedbee K. E. (2008). Ethics in Human Communication (Sixth Edition). Long Grove-Illinois: Waveland Press, INC.

Merrill, J. C. (1997). Journalism Ethics - Philosophical foundations for news media. New York: St. Martin's Press.

Santos, J. M. (2012). Introdução à Ética. Lisboa: Documenta.

Silverstone, R. (2010) La moral de los medios de comunicación – sobre el macimento de la polis de los medios. Madrid: Amorrortu.

Ward, S., & Wasserman, H. (Eds.) (2010). Media Ethics Beyond Borders: a global perspective. New York: Routledge.