Political Communication

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

Prof. Colum McCaffery Democracy today rests on the assumption of an informed and reasonable public nourished by critical media reports and contending arguments. A cursory examination of media content, however, is sufficient to reveal that the reality is quite problematic. This course explores the ambiguous role of mass media in political communication. It begins with theory and moves to examine current issues in mass political communication generally and in Ireland in particular. ASSESSMENT: Final examination, or final examination (67%) plus project (33%). TEXTS: McNair, An Introduction to Political Communication; McQuail, Mass Communication Theory: An Introduction