Political Communication

Catalog description

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. COURSE OVERVIEW. Study of political communication as a central feature of democratic life. Examines how political messages are created and circulated across campaigns, institutions, movements, journalism and/or digital platforms. Focuses on how communication informs, persuades, mobilizes and/or divides public audiences, with attention to both effective strategy and ethical responsibility. Focuses on the role of political communication in shaping American political history. Course content may reference real-world political conflict, campaign rhetoric and controversial messaging strategies, examined for purposes of analysis. RELEVANCE AND APPLICATION. Builds civic literacy by strengthening the ability to recognize persuasive tactics, evaluate competing claims and interpret political messaging across media. Supports professional preparation for careers in public service, journalism, legal advocacy, strategic communication and civic leadership. Supports the ability for informed participation in elections, policy discussions or public dialogue. DEEPENING UNDERSTANDINGS. Highlights how political discourse is shaped not only by logic and evidence but also by strategic goals, narrative, emotion, symbolism and framing. Explores how disagreement can function productively when guided by shared norms of deliberation, debate and mutual recognition. Develops awareness of how communication practices can either escalate division or foster understanding across political perspectives. TOPICS AND THEMES. May include study of campaign speeches, debates, advertisements and digital outreach; analysis of press and government relations, political journalism and media framing; exploration of grassroots mobilization, social movements and advocacy; comparison of institutional messaging across branches of government. Course material may engage contemporary political controversies or sharply divided viewpoints, addressed for purposes of understanding how communication shapes public judgment and democratic engagement. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification.