Global
Communication
Com 322/PolSci 329
Winter 2007,
MW 1:30-3:20, CMU 120, plus Friday sections
Course Web
Site: http://faculty.washington.edu/kfoot/GlobalCom
V. 2.0
Professor K. Foot, CMU
333
Office
hours: W 12:30-1:30, and by appointment
543-4837;
TA M.L. Veden, CMU 340P
Office hours: Tues: 11:30-12:30PM, Thurs: 3:30-4:30
PM and by appointment
vedenm@u.washington.edu
Course
Objective:
To
familiarize students with the reciprocal relationships between political, economic,
cultural and technological aspects of globalizing communication via media
structures, and to foster thoughtful evaluation of these relationships and
their effects.
Course
Description:
This course
introduces the history, purpose, channels, content, technologies, policy, and
regulation of international communications systems. Issues covered include:
differences in media infrastructure between nations and regions; international
trends in the development, appropriation and governance of information and
communication technologies (ICTs) and media industries; patterns in
international news, entertainment and information flows, and the emergence of
global communication in historical perspective.
In
this course we will address questions such as the following:
·
How are international communication processes structured and
mediated?
·
Whether, where, when, how, among whom and with what
consequences does global communication occur?
·
How do political, economic and cultural forces interact in
the development, appropriation and governance of ICTs internationally?
·
Who are the key players developing or resisting global
communication?
·
What opportunities, drawbacks and challenges do nations,
corporations, non-governmental/non-profit groups and individuals perceive in
global communication?
UW
Net ID & Email account:
To
complete some readings and assignments for this course you will need to access
Catalyst tools and online resources which require you to have an active UW Net ID.
Be sure you have an active UW Net ID and password by the second week of class.
Additionally, the professor and TA may post occasional course-related
announcements on the course email list; messages from this list will be sent to
your UW email account.
Assigned
Texts:
There
are three books assigned for the course. The
second edition of Global Communication: Theories, Stakeholders and Trends, by
Tom McPhail, will guide our exploration of a range of perspectives,
issues, and actors related to international communication. The Information
Revolution and Developing Countries, by
Ernest J. Wilson gives us an overview of the promises and problems associated
with ICTs in development communication internationally. The second edition of Global
Communication, edited by Yahya Kamalipour, provides an anthology of
essays on key issues in international communication, by experts in the field.
All three books are available at the University Bookstore. Full reference
information for each book follows, along with the acronym used in the reading
schedule.
·
Global Communication: Theories, Stakeholders, and Trends, Second
Edition, Thomas L. McPhail, Blackwell, 2005. (GCTST)
·
The Information Revolution and Developing Countries, Ernest J. Wilson, MIT Press, 2004. (IRDC)
·
Global Communication, Second
Edition, Yahya Kamalipour, Editor,
Your
ability to participate in class discussions will be enhanced by familiarity
with current events, particularly those pertaining to international
developments in ICTs. In addition to closely reading the chapters/articles
assigned each week, you are strongly encouraged to browse daily the
Classroom
Learning Environment
Creating
a good environment for learning is a responsibility shared by students and
faculty. In addition to the general UW rules in this regard, this course
entails a few additional rules to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to
fully engage in each class session, without distractions from others.
Course
Requirements:
1.) Section
participation Discussion sections
are an important (and enjoyable!) part of the course. In the weekly section
meetings you will have opportunity to: 1.) take part in in-depth discussions of
key concepts from the course; 2.) work
in small groups on in-class assignments; and 3.) prepare for mid-quarter and
end-of-the quarter group presentations based on outside research. As part of
your participation grade for weekly section, you will write 5 reading
reflection papers (each one 1-2 pages hard copy, double-spaced, worth 4
points). Each reading reflection paper should include a brief summary and
synthesis of the main points of the assigned readings for the week, insights or
ideas that the readings provoked for you, and at least two questions that the
readings raised for you. The first reading reflection paper is due in section
in week 2, the second is due in weeks 3 or 4, the third is due in week 5, and
the fourth is due in week 7, in class on Wednesday 2/14 (NOTE: This paper
should cover IRDC Introduction, Ch. 1, Ch. 2, and your choice of Ch. 3
“Strategic Restructuring in
Grading
criteria for reading reflection papers are:
4
pts: thorough summary and synthesis & at least 2 distinct questions
3
pts: superficial summary or synthesis & at least 2 distinct questions
2
pts: superficial summary and synthesis & 1 question
1
pts: summary or synthesis & 1 question
0
pt: summary or synthesis & no questions
Fine Print: Reflection papers written on
assigned readings from previous weeks will not receive credit.
2.)
Small group presentation: Country analysis Working in a group of 4-5
students from your section, you will conduct an in-depth analysis together on
political, economic and/or cultural issues, actors and trends related to ICTs
in a country outside the U.S. Each group will make a 10-12 minute oral
presentation of their findings in section on either 1/26 or 2/2. Each group
must prepare an outline highlighting the main points of their presentation and
bring enough copies to distribute to everyone in the section that day. Detailed
instructions and grading criteria will be provided.
v
Friday 1/12: each section will form six groups
(4-5 students per group), for collaboration on the country analysis
presentation and the case study assignment later in quarter. Students who are absent
from section on this day will be assigned a group and expected to initiate
contact with group members, AND will lose 5 points from their section
participation grade unless the absence is due to a medical emergency or a
previously scheduled sports event in which their participation is mandatory (in
these cases appropriate documentation must be provided to the TA by January
10). Group members should exchange email addresses in order for coordination
and to arrange meeting times.
3.)
Midterm Wednesday, February 7, in class. The midterm exam will consist
of 25 multiple choice questions on course content introduced to date in the
readings, lectures, videos and sections. The top 5 scorers will have privileged
roles in the case study analysis.
4.)
Case study analysis of the World Summit on the Information Society
(WSIS). This assignment has both individual and group components, and will
require you to draw on themes from the course in role-playing and interpreting
a case study based on a recent event involving international communication. The
individual and group analyses should relate core concepts from the course to
the central issues of the case, and provide thoughtful responses to the
questions posed about the case. Here are
the key dates/deadlines:
v
Wednesday, 2/7: Detailed
instructions for the case study analysis will be distributed in class
before the midterm.
v
Friday 2/9: WSIS
role assignments in section: Students who are absent from section on this
day will be assigned a role and expected to initiate contact with group
members, AND will lose 5 points from their section participation grade unless
the absence is due to a medical emergency or a previously scheduled sports
event in which their participation is mandatory (in these cases appropriate
documentation must be provided to the professor by February 7).
v
Friday 2/16: WSIS work
session instead of section
v
Wednesday
2/21: WSIS
conference opening & group presentations
v
Monday 2/26: WSIS
conference
v
Wednesday
2/28:
WSIS conference
v
Monday 3/5: WSIS
conference final presentations and debriefing
v
Friday 3/9: Individual
paper due in section.
5.)
Final exam The final exam will consist of 25 multiple choice questions
focusing on course content introduced in readings, lectures, videos and
sections in the second half of the course. The exam is scheduled for Monday,
March 12, 2:30-4:20pm.
Grading:
You
are welcome to submit proposals/outlines/drafts of the country analysis &
the case study final presentation & individual paper to the TA and/or
professor for feedback. Comments will be provided if proposal/outline/draft is
submitted at least three days before due date. Revision and re-submission of
written assignments will not be permitted. Requests for re-grading of an
assignment must be presented in writing, with a clear rationale, within one
week after receipt of grade. Except for reflection papers, which will not be
accepted after their corresponding due dates, the grade for late assignments
will be lowered by 10% of possible points per day of delay, (assignments turned
in anytime after deadline are considered at least one day late). At the end of the quarter, you will
complete a peer evaluation for each member of your group, assessing each
person’s contributions to the group assignments. A student who receives a poor
evaluation from his/her group members will have up to 10 points deducted from
his/her final grade.
Fine Print:
This course involves collaborative work in groups, since that’s how
international communication happens. Please
refer to the
Final
grade components:
1.) Participation
a. Reflection papers 20
pts
b. Relevant, informed, and constructive
contributions to class discussions 30
pts.
2.)
Country analysis: group presentation (group grade) 30 pts
3.)
Midterm exam 25
pts.
4.)
Case study analysis:
a. Final presentation (group grade) 10
pts.
b. Individual paper 60
pts.
5.)
Final exam 25
pts.
Total
Points Possible 200
Sample
Grade Distribution
|
Grade |
% of total pts |
# of total pts |
|
4.0 |
98% |
196
or more |
|
3.5 |
93% |
186
or more |
|
3.0 |
88% |
176
or more |
|
2.5 |
83% |
166
or more |
|
2.0 |
78% |
156
or more |
|
1.5 1.0 |
73% 68% |
146
or more 136
or more |
|
0.0 |
63% |
126
or less |
Fine Print: To
receive credit for this course all assignments and the exam must be completed
by the end of the quarter. Incompletes are granted only in extraordinary
circumstances.
Course
Schedule & Readings
Fine Print:
You will optimize your learning in this course by reading the assigned texts
prior to the class session for which they are assigned. Class sessions will
assist you in reviewing, illustrating, and synthesizing key points from the
readings, and applying them in interpreting historical and contemporary
developments in global communication.
Weeks 1
Dimensions of Globalization & The Role of ICTs
GCTST Preface
& Ch. 1 “Global Communication”
Week 2
Theoretical Frameworks for Global Communication & Transnational Media
GC Preface &
GC
Ch. 2 "Drawing a Bead on Global Communication Theories," by John D.H.
Downing
GCTST
GCTST
GC
Ch. 4 "The Transnational Media Corporation and the Economics of Global
Competition," by Richard A. Gershon
1/10:
In-class video "Global Media”
1/12:
Groups formed in sections; first reflection paper due.
Week 3
Globalizing News
1/15:
MLK Day NO CLASS
GC
Ch. 6 "Global News and Information Flow in the Internet Age," by
Kuldip R. Rampal
GCTST
GCTST
1/19: Second reflection paper due today or 1/26
Week 4
Globalizing Entertainment
GC
Ch. 7 "International Broadcasting," by Joseph D. Strabhaar &
Douglas A. Boyd
GC
Ch. 8 “The Global Implications of the Internet: Challenges and Prospects,” by
George Barnett and Devan Rosen
1/22: in-class video: "Globalization &
Media"
GC
Ch. 13 "Communication and Culture," by Christine L. Ogan
GCTST
1/26
Country analysis presentations in section; second reflection paper due today or
1/19.
Week 5 Globalizing Advertising; Development Communication & International Organizations
GCTST,
GC
Ch. 12 "Global Advertising and Public Relations," by Dean Kruckeberg
GC
Ch. 9 "Milestones in Communication and National Development," by
Vibert Cambridge
GCTST
GCTST
2/2
Country analysis presentations in section; third reflection paper due today.
Week 6
Governing Global Communication
GC
Ch. 3 "Global Economy and International Telecommunications Networks,"
by Harmeet Sawhney
GC
Ch. 10 "The Politics of Global Communication," by Cees J. Hamelink
GCTST
No
readings for 2/7: Distribution of WSIS case study instructions & midterm.
(Those earning the top 5 scores on the midterm will have privileged roles in
the WSIS case study.)
2/9:
WSIS case study roles assigned in sections.
Week 7
Information Revolution & Developing Countries
IRDC
Introduction and Ch. 1 “Puzzles to be Solved”
IRDC
Ch. 2 “Strategic Restructuring: A Framework for Analysis” and your choice from
IRDC of either Ch. 3 “Strategic Restructuring in Brazil” OR Ch. 4 “Strategic
Restructuring in Ghana” OR Ch. 5 “Strategic Restructuring in China”.
Fourth
reflection paper on IRDC Intro, Ch. 1, 2, and one of chapters 3-5 is due in
lecture on Wednesday, 2/14.
2/16:
Case study group work session on research & strategy instead of section
Week 8
Information Revolution & Developing Countries (cont.)
2/19
President’s Day NO CLASS
IRDC
IRDC
Case
study: Opening presentations by section groups
2/23:
Fifth reflection paper due today.
Week 9 Case
Study conference
2/26
WSIS conference (KF GONE: ML run work session for WSIS issue groups)
2/28
WSIS conference
Week 10
Challenges and Opportunities in Globalizing Communication
3/5
Case study final presentations & debrief
IRDC
GC
Ch. 14 "Patterns in Global Communication: Prospects and Concerns," by
Leo A. Gher
GCTST
3/9:
Individual papers due in section.
Final
exam: Monday, March 12, 2:30-4:20pm