PMCb1004 Media, Politics, and Society

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2022
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 7 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Alena Kluknavská, PhD. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Alena Kluknavská, PhD.
Department of Media Studies and Journalism – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: doc. Mgr. et Mgr. Vlastimil Havlík, Ph.D.
Timetable
Tue 16:00–17:40 U33
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
This course focuses on the complex and changing relationship between media, politics, and society, which have become increasingly contested and debated in recent years. The central issue is how the media/journalists, political actors (e.g., politicians, political parties, the government, ministries) and citizens/the public influence each other. The course deals with three broad themes: Media and politics, Media and politics + society, and New media and politics. It introduces theories and approaches used for understanding the role of the media in political processes and public opinion formation. The course overviews main approaches to roles, functions, and importance of media in current society and explores the changing political and societal environment for the production, dissemination, and perception of the news.
Learning outcomes
Understanding of the changing relationships between media, politics, and society from different perspectives Identifying of the interdependencies between political actors, the media/journalists, and the people/public from a theoretical perspective Learning about the roles and functions of media in political processes and public opinion formation Having an in-depth understanding of how and why both political and public environment and media production are changing, and how these changes impact political processes and society
Syllabus
  • Media and politics 1. Introduction to the course 2. Power of the media: watchdogs of lapdogs? (roles and functions of the media) 3. Media ownership, news objectivity, and media bias 4. Political economy of the media/news 5. Making the news: News routines, news values, and gatekeeping 6. Media Representation of Politics Media, politics + society 7. Mass media and public opinion 8. Media, election campaigns and persuasion 9. Media, political knowledge, and political socialization New media and politics 10. Media and democracy in a changing environment 11. Reading week 12. Social Media, fake news and polarization 13. Final exam
Literature
  • Gale, P. (2004). The refugee crisis and fear: Populist politics and media discourse. Journal of sociology, 40(4), 321-340.
  • Iyengar, S. (1990). The accessibility bias in politics: Television news and public opinion. International Journal of Public Opinion Research, 2(1), 1-15.
  • Iyengar, S. (1990). The accessibility bias in politics: Television news and public opinion. International Journal of Public Opinion Research, 2(1), 1-15.
  • Mosco V. (2015) The Political Economy of Communication: A Living Tradition. In: Albornoz L.A. (eds) Power, Media, Culture. Global Transformations in Media and Communication Research. Palgrave Macmillan, London
  • Kahan, M. (1999). Media as politics: Theory, behavior, and change in America. Prentice Hall.(Chapter 2. Media)
  • Middaugh, E. (2019). More Than Just Facts: Promoting Civic Media Literacy in the Era of Outrage. Peabody Journal of Education, 94(1), 17-31.
  • Engesser, S., Ernst, N., Esser, F., & Büchel, F. (2017). Populism and social media: How politicians spread a fragmented ideology. Information, communication & society, 20(8), 1109-1126.
  • Lynch, J., & McGoldrick, A. (2007). Peace journalism. In Handbook of peace and conflict studies (Vol. 248, No. 264, pp. 248-264). ROUTLEDGE in association with GSE Research.
  • Anderson, B. (2006). Imagined communities: Reflections on the origin and spread of nationalism. Verso book. (Chapter 1-4)
  • Nissen, C. S. (2015). Digitization and Public Service Media: What Service for Which Public?. In Public service media in Europe: A comparative approach (pp. 101-120). Routledge.
  • Ridout, T. N., & Fowler, E. F. (2018). Fake News. What Is the Influence of Fabricated Stories and Efforts to Undermine Media Credibility? In T. N. Ridout (Ed.), New Directions in Media and Politics. New York: Routledge.
Teaching methods
The format of the course is a combination of lectures and discussions of assigned readings. All students are expected to read required articles.
Assessment methods
Three position papers (Summary of main points after each theme, 750-1000 words each) Final written exam
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2022, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2022/PMCb1004