BTMM 339/588: Advanced
Topics-Institution
Politics and Mass Media
Office
Tomlinson 221
Office hours
TueThu 1-4, by appt.
Office phone
215.204.5181
Course description
This course provides an overview of the complex relationship between politics and the mass media and serves as an introduction to how communication scholars study political communication. We address this relationship of mutual influence as it affects the media, people, political intermediaries, political processes and political alternatives. In doing so, we cover relevant political communication theories and practices, analyzing communication scholarship and media texts.
Course Objectives
- To think and speak about politics and the mass media in a critical and informed manner.
- To learn how communication scholars theorize about and research politics and the mass media.
- To prepare work that can be presented at a communication conference and subsequently published.
- To improve writing and critical thinking skills.
Reading materials
Perloff, R. M. (1998). Political communication: Politics, press and public in America. Mahwah, NJ: LEA.
Recommended: Paletz, D. (2002). The media and American Politics: Contents and consequences. New York: Longman.
Readings on reserve: Several required readings have been placed on reserve. You are to obtain those and make copies for your own use. All readings on reserve are required and should be completed as scheduled.
Requirements
Research critique
Select a journal article (better to select a study, qualitative or quantitative) on some aspect of political communication and critique it. The article should be no more than a couple of years old. Do not waste time summarizing the article in detail – the article summary should be no longer than a paragraph or two. Critique the theoretical soundness of the study, its contribution to the field and significance, the methodology, interpretation of results, writing, and organization. 5 pages, double-spaced. Be prepared to summarize your paper in class on the day this assignment is due. Worth 15% of total grade.
Book Report
Select a book on political communication from the list provided or on your own (if you are doing the latter, you need to get the book approved by me). Produce a critique of the book chosen, focusing less on summarizing and more on analyzing the author’s approach, the book content, and whether the goals of the author were met. I expect you to address the validity of the author’s approach, the significance of the topic, the soundness of organization and the arguments presented, whether the material is interesting, worthy of attention and relevant, quality of writing and style, where this books fits within the relevant body of literature, and whether it needs to be updated and how. Summarizing the book should constitute about a third of this paper. 7 pages, double-spaced. Be prepared to summarize your paper in class on the day this assignment is due. Worth 15% of your total grade.
Media Analysis
For this assignment, select media content focusing on politics. You may choose between TV, newspaper, radio or Internet and you can focus on any type of programming (news show, news cast, editorial, new report, talk radio, candidate web site). Apply one (or more) of the theories covered in the class and critically analyze the structure, content and purpose of this show. Discuss how this format influences media coverage, public reaction, and political process (i.e., the media, the people, and political institutions). 5 pages, double-spaced. Be prepared to summarize your paper in class on the day this assignment is due. Worth 15% of total grade.
Research Paper
This is your final paper for the course, for which you can produce either a paper summarizing research you conducted over the semester, or a research prospectus, or a critical analysis. Undergraduate students may produce reviews of literature on a topic of their choice. The research proposal for this is due April 8. This needs to be written formally, following the research paper guidelines of the discipline. Use APA or MLA, depending on the conference/publication this is directed to. Approximately 20 pages for graduate students, 15 for undergraduates. 40% of grade.
Participation
Your attendance and participation to class discussions is essential and expected. This is a graduate seminar, meant to inform you on this topic but to also teach you to articulate your own opinions with confidence. All readings should be completed before the assigned date, and you should come to class prepared to talk. You will also prepare discussion questions for a specific topic, to be determined later. Worth 15% of your grade.
Special Needs
It is our desire that all students participate fully in the curriculum of our department. If you have a disability or special condition that compromises your ability to successfully participate in this class, please notify me as soon as possible and make sure you register with the appropriate University office. All efforts will be made to accommodate your needs.
Honor Code
All students are expected to read and observe Temple University’s Honor Code Policy concerning academic integrity.
Plagiarizing
When facts or other material are obtained from an outside source, that source should be cited properly in the text and the bibliography/references section of your work. Plagiarism is defined as taking the words or ideas of another person and presenting them as one's own without proper credit. Plagiarizing is considered cheating, and a student who plagiarizes will receive a zero for that assignment and/or a failing grade for the course. If you are not certain that you are citing materials properly, feel free to double check your citations with me.
Grading scale:
A = 100-93 A- = 92-90
B+ = 89-87 B = 86-83 B- = 82-80
C+ = 79-77 C = 76-73 C- = 72-70
D+ = 69-67 D = 66-63 D- = 62-60 59 and below = F
Book List for Report
Barber, B. (1995). Jihad vs. McWorld. New York: Times.
Bennet, W. L. (1983). News: The politics of illusion. New York: Longman.
Carter, S. L. (1998). Civility: Manners, morals, and the etiquette of democracy. New York: Basic.
Capella, J. N., & Jamieson, K. H. (1997). Spiral of cynicism: The press and the public good. New York: Oxford.
Dahlgren, P. (1995). Television and the public sphere. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Dionne, E. J. (1992). Why Americans hate politics. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Entman, R. (1989). Democracy without citizens. New York : Oxford.
Fallows, J. (1996). Breaking the news. New York: Pantheon.
Hacker, K. & van Dijk, J. (2000). Digital democracy: Issues of theory and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Hague, B. & Loader, B. (1999). Digital democracy: Discourse and decision making in the information age. New York: Routledge.
Hart, R. (1994). Seducing America: How television charms the modern voter. New York: Oxford.
Iyengar, S. (1991). Is anyone responsible? How television frames political issues. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Iyengar, S. (1997). Do the media govern? Politicians, Voters & Reporters in America.Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Jamieson, K. H. (1984). Packaging the presidency. New York: Oxford.
Jamieson, K. H. (1992). Dirty politics: Deception, distraction, democracy. New York: Oxford.
Johnson, T. J., Hays, C. E., & Hays, S. P. (Eds.) (1998). Engaging the public: How government can reinvigorate American democracy. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
Kamalipour, Y. R. (Ed.) (1999). Images of the US around the world: A multicultural perspective. Albany, NY: SUNY Press.
Kraus, S. (2000). Televised presidential debates and public policy. Mahwah, NJ: LEA.
Kurtz, H. (1998). Spin cycle. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Lasch, C. (1995). The revolt of the elites and the betrayal of democracy. New York: Norton.
Lippman, W. (1922). Public opinion. New York: Simon and Schuster.
McCombs, M., Shaw, D. L., Weaver, D. (Eds.) (1997). Communication and democracy: Exploring the intellectual frontiers in agenda-setting theory. Mahwah, NJ: LEA.
Patterson, T. E. (1994). Out of order. New York: Vintage.
Protess, D. L. & McCombs, M. (Eds.) (1991). Agenda setting: Readings on media, public opinion, and policymaking. Hillsdale, NJ: LEA.
Putnam, R. D. (2000). Bowling alone: The collapse and revival of American community. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Reese, S. D., Gandy, O. H., Grant, A. E. (2001). Framing public life: Perspectives on media and our understanding of the social world. Mahwah, NJ: LEA.
Schudson, M. (1998). The good citizen: A history of American civic life. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Trent, J. S. & Friedenburg, R. V. (1995). Political campaign communication. Westport, CT: Praeger.
Viroli, M. (1995). For love of country. New York: Oxford.