HIST 344Media & Politics in America

Catalog

This course will examine the relationship between media and politics in U.S. history since the dawn of the 20th century. The development of media - basically, any form of mass communication from newspapers and magazines to radio, television, and the internet - has deeply affected the ways in which ideas have been expressed and manipulated over the years. Our course will assess the use and effectiveness of various media during times of strife or crisis. We also will consider the role of the press, particularly in how it has shaped political issues and to what extent its role has appreciably changed over time.