SF 183 Politics, Power and the Media Suffolk University Fall 2017

Transcription

1 SF 183 Politics, Power and the Media Suffolk University Fall 2017 Prof. Brian M. Conley Office: Government Department, Room 1084, 10th Floor, 73 Tremont Street Office Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 12:00-1:00 PM and by appointment Phone: Course Description: Is there a relationship between accumulated political power and mass media representations? Is news content impacted by existing political power relations? It is the object of this course to critically analyze the role of the mass media within the framework of existing power relations in the United States. In particular, the course will focus on the role the mass media play in promoting and reinforcing dominant political practices and ideologies. The course will begin by exploring various theories of the press, notably its function in a democratic society, as well as the concepts of power and propaganda. We will continue with a series of case studies, complemented by secondary sources that highlight how media representations affect contemporary policy discussions and the distribution of political power in the US. Topics of discussion will include the current US war on terrorism, the ongoing national health care debate, the public disavowal of big government, and the concept of a liberal media. Course Goals & Learning Objectives GOALS OBJECTIVES ASSESSMENTS Develop a general understanding of the fields of communication, media analysis and political science. Develop the ability to analyze and critically evaluate competing media and political theories. - Class Readings Assignments - Class Writing Assignments - Class Discussion Develop a general understanding of the social science writing process. Develop a general understanding of the social science research process. Develop a general understanding of how Develop the ability to organize and write a research paper. Develop the ability to gather and critically evaluate media and social science research. Develop presentation skills. - Class Readings Assignments - Class Writing Assignments - Class Readings Assignments - Class Writing Assignments - Class Discussion - Class Presentations - Class Readings Assignments 1

2 arguments are made and presented in the fields of communication, media analysis and political science. - Class Discussion Course Requirements A key component of the course will be learning how to organize and write a research paper, beginning with the development of a research question, followed by the drafting of a literature review, a research outline and concluding with a final research paper. Students will be evaluated on the basis of the following: Four (4) Writing Assignments Response Pages Class Attendance and Participation An In-class Presentation 1. Writing Assignments (4) The first assignment is a research question. The second is a corresponding literature review, and the third a research outline. These three assignments will serve as the building blocks of the final assignment: a page research paper. Each assignment will be preceded by a writing seminar that focuses on that component of the paper. Each assignment should be submitted though the course Blackboard site. Research Paper: Topics: We will discuss three distinct policy areas in this course: 1) US Economic Policy 2) US Health Care Policy 3) US Foreign Policy Choose one of above policy areas, and describe which theory of the media, public relations, or power offers, in your opinion, the most compelling explanation for certain policy outcomes? Regardless of what you study, your paper must include a critical review (a literature review) of competing schools of thought as they relate to your core research question/topic. You need to situate your analysis within the theoretical debates and literature examined in class. 2. Response Pages You will also be required to submit two response pages per class. The response page assignment requires you to critically engage with the weekly class readings. The response page should be no longer than a single page. They will be due by the beginning of class each day and should be submitted though the course Blackboard site. 2

3 Class Attendance: Students are expected to attend and participate in each class. An attendance sheet will be circulated at the beginning of each class. If you are unable to attend class, due to illness or a because of a conflict, please notify me by . I also strongly encourage you to read any of the major national newspapers, journals of opinion, news magazines and political blogs as well as to watch cable and broadcast news programs in order to stay abreast of current political issues and developments. You should feel free at any time to introduce issues you find relevant in our class discussion or on the class blog. 3. Presentations: Students will be required to make a short (3-5 minute) presentation during the closing weeks of the semester on their research work and paper. Grading Response Page 17% Research Question: 5% Literature Review: 25% Paper Outline/Research Design: 10% Final Research Paper: 30% Attendance and Participation: 8% Presentations: 5% Due Dates Weekly September 26 October 31 November 14 December 19 *** November 30-December 7 Readings Class Website: The syllabus as well as ALL class readings and support materials will be posted on the following class website: Password: sf183 3

4 Student Engagement Hours To complete this course, students will need to dedicate, at a minimum, the following amount of time to the listed activities: Item Activity Hours (total) Course 728 Pages x 8 min per Page 97 Review Power Points: 50 PP x.30 Hour per PP 25 Research Question: 3 Hours Preparation 3 Literature Review: 10 Hours Preparation 10 Research Outline: 6 Hours Preparation 6 Final Paper: 10 Hours Preparation 10 Response Pages: 8 Hours Preparation 8 Class Attendance: 27 Classes x.75 minutes Total: University Policies: Suffolk University Academic Honesty Policy: Undergraduate Honor Policy: Students are expected to conduct themselves with integrity. In classrooms and laboratories, at internships, in libraries and in study groups and academic teams, cultivating and practicing honesty lays a foundation for lifelong integrity. Making honest, ethical choices is a necessary step in establishing communities of trust. Academic dishonesty includes four general types of inappropriate behavior: cheating, plagiarism, dishonest conduct and collusion/unauthorized collaboration. ( Student Resources: The university provides a range of student services. To learn more, explore this webpage: ************************************************************************************** Course Schedule: ************************************************************************************** Thursday: September 7: Introduction: Review Syllabus (i1) Background: Not Taxed Enough Already Tuesday: September 12: (c1) 4

5 Key Question/Issue: Are we taxed enough already in the US? What are the differences between a repressive and progressive tax system? Warren Buffet Stop Coddling the Super-Rich. New York Times, Aug., Cal Thomas Why Doesn t Warren Buffet Just Write the Government a Check? FOX News, Aug., 17. Chris Wallace Grapevine: Warren Buffett on Taxes. FOX News, Aug., 15. Kate Zernike and Megan Thee-Brenan Polls Finds Tea Party Backers Wealthier and More Educated. New York Times, April Nicholas Shaxson The Great Trump Tax Mysteries: Is He Hiding Loopholes, Errors or Something More Serious. Vanity Fair August. Suggested Bernie Becker Tax Writers Promise 50 Years of Secrecy for Senators' Suggestions. The Hill, July 24. A Liberal Media? Thursday: September 14: (c2) Key Question/Issue: In your analysis, does the media in the US have a liberal, conservative or some other ideological bias? Bernard Goldberg Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distort the News. New York: Perennial. Chapter 1. Eric Alterman What Liberal Media?: The Truth About Bias and the News. New York: Basic Books. Chapter 1. Joe Conason Big Lies. New York: Thomas Dunne Books. Chapter 2. Writing Seminar: Research Questions Theories of Power Tuesday: September 19: (s1) Wayne Booth et al The Craft of Research. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Chapter 3, 14. Lisa Baglione Writing a Research Paper in Political Science: A Practical Guide to Inquiry, Structure, and Methods. New York: Thomson, Wadsworth Three Faces of Power 5

6 Thursday: September 21: (c3) Key Question/Issue: What does Dahl mean by pluralism in the context of US politics? Robert Dahl Who Governs? In The Lanahan Readings in the American Polity, ed. Ann Serow and Everett Ladd. Baltimore: Lanahan Publishers Tuesday: September 26: Research Question Due (c4) Key Question/Issue: What, in Gaventa s analysis, are the three faces of power? John Gaventa Power and Powerlessness. Urbana: University of Illinois Press Theoretical and Historical Work Theories of Propaganda: Classic Interpretations Thursday: September 28: (c5) Key Question/Issue: How did the Creel Commission attempt to shift public opinion in the US about the necessity of the country getting involved in the first world war? George Creel How We Advertised America. New York: Harper and Brothers. Chapter 1. Stuart Ewen PR! A Social History of Spin. New York: Basic Books. Chapter 2. Tuesday: October 3: (c6) Key Question/Issue: What role, in Bernay s thinking, does propaganda play within otherwise democratic systems of government? Edward Bernays Propaganda. New York: H. Liverigh. Chapters 1 and 9. Lippmann, Walter The Phantom Public. In Propaganda, ed. Robert Jackall. New York: New York University Press. Harold D. Lasswell Propaganda. In Robert Jackall ed. Propaganda. New York: New York University Press. Edward L. Bernays The Engineering of Consent. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences 250 (March): Walter Lippmann Public Opinion. New York: Harcourt. Chapter 15. Larry Tye, The Father of Spin. New York: Crown Publishers. Writing Seminar: Literature Review 6

7 Thursday: October 5: (s2) Lisa Baglione Writing a Research Paper in Political Science: A Practical Guide to Inquiry, Structure, and Methods. New York: Thomson, Wadsworth. Chapter 3. Laurence Jones and Edward Olson Political Science Research: A Handbook of Scope and Methods. New York: Longman Tuesday: October 10: Suffolk Monday: No Class Thursday: October 12: Research Seminar: Computer Lab Theories of Propaganda: Contemporary Interpretations Tuesday: October 17: (c7) Key Question/Issue: Identify and discuss the different levels or filters within Herman and Chomsky s propaganda model? Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky Manufacturing Consent. New York: Pantheon Books. Chapter 1. Thursday: October 19: (c8) Key Question/Issue: What, in Lewis s opinion, is the political economy of the mass media? What economic variables or factors shape how the media behaves? How do those who own the media or buy advertising influence what is reported on in the news? Justin Lewis Constructing Public Opinion. New York: Columbia University Press. Chapter 8. Alex Carey Taking the Risk Out of Democracy. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. Chapter 1 and 6. Noam Chomsky Necessary Illusions: Thought Control in Democratic Societies. Boston: South End Press. Chapter 1. The Public Relations Industry Tuesday: October 24: (c9) Key Question/Issue: What, in your opinion, is the role of public relations within contemporary US politics and society? Stuart Ewen PR! A Social History of Spin. New York: Basic Books. Chapter 9. Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber Trust Us, We re Experts! New York: Putnam. Chapter 1. Frank Luntz Learning from 2004 Winning in The Luntz Research Companies. 7

8 Political Marketing and Branding: Thursday: October 26: (c10) Key Question/Issue: How do you think your life, as a citizen and a consumer is shaped by efforts at branding? Ken Cosgrove Branded Conservatives. New York: Peter Lang. Chapter 1. Catherine Needham Brand Leaders: Clinton, Blair and the Limitations of the Permanent Campaign. Political Studies 53: Sasha Issenberg The Victory Lab: The Secret Science of Winning Campaigns. New York: Crown Publishers. Chapter 4. Writing Seminar: Research Outline Case Studies: Tuesday: October 31: Literature Review Due (s3) Key Question/Issue: Wayne Booth et al Writing a Research Paper in Political Science: A Practical Guide to Inquiry, Structure, and Methods. New York: Thomson, Wadsworth. Chapter 12. The Politics of Economic Recovery Thursday: November 2: (c11) Key Question/Issue: In your opinion, who was primarily responsible for the 2008 collapse of the global financial system, Wall Street or Main Street? Simon Johnson and James Kwak Bankers. New York: Pantheon Books. Chapter 6. James Gattuso Creating a Permanent TARP. Washington Times March 25. David Herszenhorn Recovery Bill Gets Final Approval. New York Times, Feb The Politics of Financial Regulation Tuesday: November 7: (c12) Key Question/Issue: What role did efforts at deregulation in the US play in the collapse of the global financial system in 2008? Ezra Klein What's the Republican alternative to bailouts? 8

9 Health Care Clinton Plan Obama Plan Washington Post April 13. Sam Stein Frank Luntz Pens Memo To Kill Financial Regulatory Reform. Huffington Post April 3. Helene Cooper Obama Signs Overhaul of Financial System. New York Times, Jul., The Dodd-Frank Bill: A Cure or Horror Movie for the Economy. Fox News, Aug., 9. Financial Regulation Lags After Dodd-Frank. Fox Business July 25. Daniel Gross Right Blames the Credit Crisis on Poor Minority Homeowners. Slate October 7. Andrew Sorkin Too Big to Fail: The Inside Story of How Wall Street and Washington Fought to Save the Financial System--- and Themselves. New York: Viking. Thursday: November 9: Advising Seminar (c13) Key Question/Issue: Why did Clinton s attempts to reform the US health care system fail in the early 1990s? Haynes Johnson and David Broder The System: The American Way of Politics at the Breaking Point. New York: Back Bay Books , Thomas Scarlett Killing Health Care Reform. Campaigns and Elections Oct-Nov. Robin Toner Harry and Louise. New York Times, Sept. 30. Phillip Morris Tobacco Strategy Documents. Legacy Tobacco Documents Library. Robert Moffit A Guide to the Clinton Health Plan. The Heritage Foundation, Nov. 19. Tuesday: November 14: Research Outline Due (c14) Key Question/Issue: Who opposed Obama s push to reform the US health care system in 2009 and why? Lawrence Jacobs and Theda Skocpol Health Care Reform and American Politics. Oxford Oxford University Press, Brian. M. Conley Does Obama Care?: Assessing the Delivery of 9

10 Foreign Policy War on Terrorism: Iraq Health Reform in the United States. In Political Marketing in the United States, ed. Jennifer Lees-Marshment, Kenneth Cosgrove and Brian Conley. New York: Routledge. Frank Luntz The Language of HealthCare May. David S. Hilzenrath Insurer-Owned Consulting Firm Often Cited in Health Care Debate. Washington Post, Jul. 23. Peter H. Stone Health Insurers Funded Chamber Attack Ads. National Journal, Jan. 12. Peter H. Stone Brace for More Attack Ads. National Journal, Mar. 1. Shailagh Murray and Lori Montgomery Senate Passes Health- Care Bill, Now Must Reconcile It With House. Washington Post, Dec. 25. David Kirkpatrick Lobbyists Fight Last Big Plans to Cut Health Care Costs. New York Times, Oct. 11. Abby Goodnough Distaste for the Health Care Law Reflects Spending on Ads. New York Times, June 20. Thursday: November 16: (c15) Key Question/Issue: How did the US government seek to both manage the press and win public support for the liberation of Kuwait in 1991? John R. MacArthur The Second Front: Censorship and Propaganda in the Gulf War. New York: Hill and Wang. Chapter 1. Patrick Taylor Both Iraq and Iran Gassed Kurds in War, U.S. Analysis Finds. Washington Post, May 3: A37. Andrew Bilski Witnesses to Terror. MacLean s, Oct. 22: 32. Glenn Frankel Amnesty International Accuses Iraq of Atrocities in Kuwait. Washington Post, Dec. 19. John MacArthur, Remember Nayirah, Witness for Kuwait? New York Times, Jan. 6. Tuesday: November 21: (c16) Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber Weapons of Mass Deception. New York: Penguin. Chapter 2. Thursday: November 23: Thanksgiving Break: No Class Tuesday: November 28: (c17) 10

11 Presentations Key Question/Issue: How and why did the US government attempt to link Saddam Hussein to the 9/11 attacks on the US? An Open Letter to President Bush: Lead the World to Victory. Project for a New American Century. In The Iraq War Reader, ed. Micah L Sifry and Christopher Cerf. New York: Touchstone Daniel Pipes The Enemy Within. In The Iraq War Reader, ed. Micah L Sifry and Christopher Cerf. New York: Touchstone Noam Chomsky Drain the Swamp and There Will Be No More Mosquitoes. In The Iraq War Reader, ed. Micah L Sifry and Christopher Cerf. New York: Touchstone President George Bush State of the Union. Jan. 28. Wolfowitz, Paul. Interview San Francisco Chronicle, Feb. 23. Bob Drogin, Paul Ritcher and Doyle White House Backs Reports of Link between Iraq, Sept. 1 Suspects. Los Angeles Times, Aug. 2. Pincus, Walter No Link Between Hijacker, Iraq Meeting. Washington Post, May 1: A9. Thursday: November 30: Presentations Tuesday: December 5: Presentations Thursday: December 7: Last Class Presentations Final Paper Due: Tuesday: December 19 11