Policy Politics the Media

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

Few questions are more vexing or inherently controversial than the relationship of the media to politics and policymaking. There is even dispute over what constitutes “the media.” The course is organized around specific areas of coverage, the financial challenges facing traditional media institutions, the interaction between the media and political actors—and, more generally, the relationship of the media to democracy. Specific classes look at the impact of the media on the policymaking process, specific institutions such as public radio, and the media’s impact in the international arena. The course also examines important changes in the media, including the shift of readers’ attention from print to various online sources, the role of social media, changing patterns of media consumption and whether readers and viewers are dis-proportionally consuming information that reinforces their views. This year, we will pay particular attention to the challenges to the media in the Trump Era. Guests with particular expertise and experience have been invited to help lead sessions devoted to their areas of interest. The reading list includes both scholarly and popular work on the media as well as contributions from journalists and scholars who will meet with the class.