Communication for Social Change & Public Advocacy

Catalog description

An examination of the theories and practices of social change communication and public advocacy. Students will analyze the roles of various forms of communication in catalyzing social and policy changes. It provides an overview of advocacy campaigns, legislative lobbying, issue branding, and community organizing in the United States, and other communication campaigns tied to public issues such as sustainability, social justice, and human rights. The course is devoted to providing real-world and hands-on experiences for students by including guest lectures from public advocacy experts and a semester-long campaign project. Along the way, students will be exposed to social marketing, stakeholder power analysis, communication strategies and tactics, and evaluation.