POLSC200-21A (NET)

Politics and the Media

15 Points

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Division of Arts Law Psychology & Social Sciences
School of Social Sciences
Political Science and Public Policy

Staff

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Convenor(s)

Justin Phillips

Justin Phillips
3586
See Moodle
justin.phillips@waikato.ac.nz

Lecturer(s)

Administrator(s)

: frances.douch@waikato.ac.nz

Placement/WIL Coordinator(s)

Tutor(s)

Student Representative(s)

Lab Technician(s)

Librarian(s)

: melanie.chivers@waikato.ac.nz

You can contact staff by:

  • Calling +64 7 838 4466 select option 1, then enter the extension.
  • Extensions starting with 4, 5, 9 or 3 can also be direct dialled:
    • For extensions starting with 4: dial +64 7 838 extension.
    • For extensions starting with 5: dial +64 7 858 extension.
    • For extensions starting with 9: dial +64 7 837 extension.
    • For extensions starting with 3: dial +64 7 2620 + the last 3 digits of the extension e.g. 3123 = +64 7 262 0123.
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Paper Description

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Barring a deep commitment to live an isolated and remote existence, media consumption is effectively inevitable in our lives. As we will see, citizen engagement with media is vital to a well functioning democracy, and so the link between media, politics, and people is one well worth exploring. This course investigates this connection, and the deep history of research surrounding it. Our journey through academic literature in this field spans time and space, from Athenian democracy and the public sphere’s rise in the coffee houses of Europe, to media effects, war, election campaigns, fake news, Donald Trump, and beyond. During this time we ask some big questions: Do the powerful govern media, or vice versa? Are people influenced by media, or are they immune to its influence? Is the Internet a new force for good, or does it further polarize society? Answers to such questions are clearly important from a democratic perspective, but they do more than just that. As consumers of media we too are being assessed here, and so in some way these answers may also say something about ourselves as well.
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Paper Structure

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This NET version of the paper will be taught via a weekly two hour lecture provided on Panopto. For the NET course, an online discussion board will facilitate further discussion, taking the place of the traditional tutorial format. For Hamilton based students, there may also be the potential for an informal live session offered on the Hamilton campus during the year.

The course will therefore be devoted to a combination of lectures and online discussions. While a command of factual knowledge is important, particular emphasis will be placed upon application, analysis, evaluation, and synthesis. This course is offered on the assumption that the primary objective of every student is to learn. Whatever your true goals and objectives, you will be treated and evaluated as though your primary motivation is to learn.

In addition to lectures and online discussions, students will be expected to complete assignments and read materials as indicated below. The expected workload for the paper is a total of 150 hours during the semester. You need to use this time carefully to keep up with the course readings, work on your assignments, and prepare for the final test.

Communication skills are an essential part of education and pre-requisite to learning about politics, public policy, and public administration. These skills are not only important in this course but will be beneficial in your future career and your role as a citizen. Learning to write well is something only you can do through your own hard work, but there are resources available to assist you.

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Learning Outcomes

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Students who successfully complete the paper should be able to:

  • Analyse the ways in which the media construct news and their implications for democratic politics.
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  • Explain the impact of political economy and economic globalization on function of a democratic media.
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  • Explain how media influence and reflect societal perceptions of race, ethnicity, and gender.
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  • Evaluate how news media frame political realities, electoral campaigns, public opinion, and perceptions of international conflicts.
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  • Undertake critical analysis of news media through the use of content analysis and qualitative analysis.
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  • Demonstrate their knowledge of news analysis in written and oral work, such as essays, tests, and class discussions.
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  • Students taking this paper will have the opportunity to acquire the skills, and develop the attributes as listed in the BSocSc and BA Graduate Profiles with particular reference to Political Science (www.waikato.ac.nz/fass/study/qualifications).
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Assessment

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Assessment Components

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The internal assessment/exam ratio (as stated in the University Calendar) is 100:0. There is no final exam. The final exam makes up 0% of the overall mark.

The internal assessment/exam ratio (as stated in the University Calendar) is 100:0 or 0:0, whichever is more favourable for the student. The final exam makes up either 0% or 0% of the overall mark.

Component DescriptionDue Date TimePercentage of overall markSubmission MethodCompulsory
1. Online Participation
5
  • Online: Submit through Moodle
2. Online Quizzes
10
  • Online: Submit through Moodle
3. Online Discussion Submission
5
  • Online: Submit through Moodle
4. First Media Analysis
16 Apr 2021
5:00 PM
20
  • Online: Submit through Moodle
5. Second Media Analysis Proposal
7 May 2021
5:00 PM
5
  • Online: Submit through Moodle
6. Second Media Analysis
26 May 2021
5:00 PM
30
  • Online: Submit through Moodle
7. Online Final Test
4 Jun 2021
5:00 PM
25
  • Online: Submit through Moodle
Assessment Total:     100    
Failing to complete a compulsory assessment component of a paper will result in an IC grade
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Required and Recommended Readings

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Required Readings

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The required readings for this course will be found in Kemp et al’s Politics and Media textbook (2016). Note the textbook is an online resource, and so you do not need to purchase a personal hardcopy. However, as chapters from this textbook draw heavily from a number of seminal works in media politics, it is highly recommended you expand your reading beyond the textbook to the academic work it outlines. You will find many of these cited in the reading list, also found on Moodle. Put simply, the textbook is the starting point for your journey into this field, so please endeavour to explore the recommended readings where possible, as lectures will focus more deeply on this material.
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Online Support

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The teaching of this paper is supported online using Moodle.
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Workload

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In addition to watching lectures and engaging in online discussion, students are expected to do all readings and complete the course assessment tasks. The expected workload for the paper is a total of 150 hours during the semester.
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Linkages to Other Papers

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Prerequisite(s)

Corequisite(s)

Equivalent(s)

Restriction(s)

Restricted papers: POLS200

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