Media Civic Engagement

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

This course meets the CCT methods requirement. The class will employ an active learning approach where students will design and conduct a research project measuring civic engagement and analyze the results using basic statistical tests. No prior experience with statistical methods is required, as the techniques will be covered in the class. >br> Civic engagement encompasses a wide range of activities, political and non-political, that promote the public good and are intended to improve the quality of life in communities and society. It involves the development of the knowledge, skills, dispositions, norms, and actions necessary for achieving these goals. The boundaries of civic engagement in the current political and media environment have been widening. Traditional forms of civic engagement include voting and participation in the electoral process, engaging in discussion and debate, participating in community affairs, volunteering, advocacy, and protesting. Digital media have created new spaces for these traditional forms of engagement and facilitated novel opportunities for expression, investigation, dialogue, voice, and action. This course will begin by addressing the complex issue of what constitutes civic engagement in the current era. We will examine the nature and implications of digital media for political engagement as well as the ways that citizenship has been redefined in this context. Media’s role in promoting and/or inhibiting the development of a vital culture of civic engagement will be explored. Topics to be covered include the shifting dynamics of electoral politics and public opinion in the digital age and media’s role in civic engagement of young people. Defining and measuring civic engagement has become increasingly challenging. The lines between offline and online engagement, authentic and performative engagement, and active versus passive engagement are blurring. We will tackle these issues directly through a project that will examine dimensions of civic engagement at Georgetown University. We will design and carry out a research project measuring the extent to which Georgetown students are engaging in specific aspects of civic engagement in conjunction with a project of the Institute for Citizens and Scholars Measurement Working Group which is taking place on twelve campuses nationwide. Finally, the course will focus on civil discourse as a central aspect of civic engagement. We will explore the central question: How has the public sphere been shaped by new communication technologies? The nature of the public sphere and political discourse has become increasingly contested. Misinformation abounds. Incivility and hostility have become hallmarks of political speech. A vital public sphere consisting of places where citizens come together to discuss core values, issues, and events is an essential component of civil society. Communication is necessary for developing norms of cooperation in society. Public debate allows citizens to communicate with government officials and institutions, and to engage in problem solving. Media help citizens establish community networks by generating awareness of issues and promoting voluntary activities. By providing information in a timely and accessible form, media enable people to make well-informed choices, thus building support for democratic governance. We will examine the characteristics of civil discourse, the sources of incivility, such as political polarization, and mechanisms for countering divisive trends, including ways to productively discuss difficult topics and civic education.