POLITICS 776 : Media and Politics in an Age of Globalisation

Arts

2024 Semester One (1243) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Explores the relationship between media and politics, domestically and internationally, within a changing global context. Students will critically engage with key theories in political communication scholarship, such as agenda-setting, priming, framing, silencing and informational effects within the new media dynamics, which includes multiple new media outlets (such as state and private media), platforms, technologies and faster delivery.

Course Overview

This seminar explores the relationship between media and politics within a changing media environment, marked by rapid technological and political changes and the growth of new media organisations. We examine the role of media in shaping politics and vice versa, how political actors—political leaders, advocates, and journalists—try to influence audiences and how audiences respond. With the traditional roles and relationships rapidly changing, we explore how media influence aspects of politics—democracy, diplomacy, foreign and domestic policy, conflict, conflict resolution, and human rights.
We will analyse how news and other forms of political media content are created. We will study their biases and assess how these affect politics and society.
We’ll explore how media interact with other forces to shape people’s political thinking, attitudes, emotions, and behaviors, and how these might contribute to real developments. For example:
Political leaders, candidates, and advocates use the Internet to organize, advertise, raise money and persuade.
States use media to influence world developments, to gain power, or win wars.
Advocates and revolutionaries use social networking, petition sites, YouTube, blogging, and podcasts as tools for socio-political change.
All of these political actors and media vie for audience shares, and they can unite and divide audiences, locally and globally.
We’ll examine how the traditional line between news and entertainment is disappearing, as entertainment programmes are politicised while news is dramatised.
We will discuss the significance of these developments for societies, democratic processes and political change:
For instance, how might changes in communication technology and peer networks affect media content and its influences?
How do the new media and political environments impact political actors and states’ attempts to communicate?
What are the goals of each of the actors engaged in the process?
What are the ethical considerations?
Do the different actors have different responsibilities?

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration
Graduate Profile: Master of Arts

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Understand and explain how media interact with other forces to shape political outcomes locally and globally. (Capability 6)
  2. Critically analyse influences of different modes of communication. (Capability 4)
  3. Explain and critically analyse how different types of media influence societies and politics and vice versa. (Capability 3)
  4. Critically evaluate solutions to the misinformation crises. (Capability 5 and 7)
  5. Collaborate with colleagues in analyzing literature (Capability 4, 6 and 7)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Presentation 15% Individual Coursework
Essay 20% Individual Coursework
Media 20% Individual Coursework
Research Paper 40% Individual Coursework
Participation 5% Individual Coursework

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 12 two hour seminars.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

This course is not available for delivery to students studying remotely outside NZ in 2024.

Seminars will not be available as recordings.

The course will not include live online events

The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

The following book is available in the university bookstore, online and limited access through our university library. 
Bennett, W. Lance. 2016. News: The Politics of Illusion, 10th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 
The other readings will be available either on reserve in the library, or through the electronic resources through the library.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

This course adjusts according to student experiences.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894, which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 27/11/2023 07:53 p.m.