Mindful News

Catalog description

How is it possible to an informed citizen, and not be overwhelmed by the endless stream of news? How can a college student keep up with the academic work (Exams! Papers!) and still have mental space for politics, protests, disasters, trials, and all the other real-world happenings? Neither is easy. yet, there are strong and enduring arguments for why we should all keep up on current events: an informed citizenry is essential for a well-functioning democracy; knowing what's happening in the world is a good complement to a liberal arts education and makes you more interesting; willful ignorance is dangerous. on the other hand, there are real challenges: the news is often unrelentingly negative; the media is often misleadingly biased and sensationalistic; it's too easy to live in a "news bubble." This class is about helping you be as mindful as possible in how you consume news. By reading and viewing texts from a number of disciplines (politics, sociology, philosophy, history, psychology), we will work to understand what journalism offers (and why), as well as its limitations, so that you can better determine the healthiest and most productive way to be an informed citizen.