Media and International Relations

Course Description

Description
This course contributes to the consolidation of the students' academic-professional profile by helping them to improve their analytical abilities, communications skills (oral and written), initiative, judgment, team building, and critical thinking in discipline-specific contexts. The students will be exposed to relevant and diverse readings, and will practice a variety of speaking activities of particular importance in their study field (mainly presentations and debates). They will also become aware of the importance of accuracy, organisation, coherence, originality, credibility, and persuasiveness. The course is practical in nature since it relies entirely on relevant readings and regular submission of writing tasks and oral presentations (in group or individual), with close facilitation and regular feedback from the instructor and their own (and their peers') analysis and revision. It will focus on the role of media organisations and their coverage of issues such as: the globalisation process, climate change, state sovereignty and nationalism, the foreign policy of key states, international security and terrorism, ecological sustainability, economic and sustainable development, economic crisis, global finance, organised crime and money laundering, human rights, and the roles inter-governmental organisations (IGO), campaigning organisations [including international non-governmental organisations (INGO) and non-governmental organisations (NGO)], and multinational corporations (MNC).

Pre-requisites
None

Contents
Unit 1: Public opinion
Public opinion and international relations
The role and impact of media in international relations
Foreign correspondents
The state of the media
Public diplomacy
Propaganda and manipulation of the press
Bias

Unit 2: 'New' technologies
Impact of 'new' technologies on media
The emergence of an international public opinion and of global information networks
The 'new' media

Unit 3: The blurred lines of media
Media and communication in international campaigning
Data analysis and communication

Methodology
In order to acquire and develop the above-mentioned competences, the following teaching-learning techniques will be used:
- Relevant readings of scholarly and multidisciplinary literature, and follow-up discussions.
- Finding and researching autonomously alternative readings and sources of information.
- Analysis and discussion of different cases.
- Considering the value and adequacy of the sources and resources to be used.
- Preparing the writing tests on themes that will be previously assigned, either individually or as part of a team.
- Re-writing and summarising reports, responding to questions, contesting points of view, and elaborating papers.
- Revision and editing of tests; assessing and offering feedback to others' work.

Assessment
The assessment of the students' work will be progressive and formative. The students will occasionally be asked to evaluate their own work and that of their peers. The final grade will be the weighted sum of the scores obtained on the following components:
1. Class attendance and participation in activities, discussions and debates: 10%.
2. Written paper and oral group presentation: 20%.
3. Mid-course exam: 30%.
4. Final exam: 40%
NB. Penalties will be implemented if students fail to attend more than 10% classes, if they turn assignments late, if they fail to comply with the different assignments or if their portfolio of papers is not up to the standards of integrity and originality. Penalties will range from 10-30% of final grade.