POL 232 Media and Politics

3 hours 

An understanding of the media is important to assess the vitality and vibrancy of democratic political systems. The study of media is a study of how citizens learn about their government and how elected officials and candidates present themselves and their actions to citizens. The course considers the actions and interplay of the goals of producers of media content (reporters, producers, bloggers, editors and owners - both private and public) and elected officials, candidates, and parties and their relationship with citizens. The course considers how this relationship is different across different countries and across time, and how the development of internet and social media are changing these relationships. The course also examines how well or poorly contemporary media systems serve democracy, asking whether they provide the information citizens need to make informed choices about their government. The study of media and politics helps students to examine the media they consume and to think critically about the messages and potential effects of that media.