Jerel A. Rosati
Summer 1999
POLITICS AND THE MASS MEDIA
POLI 362
Please read the syllabus carefully for I have given great thought to the development of this course.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
To better understand the society we live in and its implications for the future, the course is designed to increase your information, knowledge, and understanding of the nature and "reality" of the mass media and the communications process within the context of American politics and society; to become aware, consider, and evaluate "alternative" explanations and interpretations; and to help you improve your ability "to learn," to reason, and to communicate.
The course should broaden your understanding of the role of the mass media and communications. The goal is for you to learn and to grow intellectually. You should be able to see how the media and communications process affects your life. It is hoped that by the end of the semester you will find the course to be informative, interesting and enjoyable.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Students will be evaluated through class participation and examinations. The intent behind these requirements is to have you study and think about the course material throughout the semester--to provide you with numerous opportunities to demonstrate the knowledge you have acquired and to get feedback--in order to maximize your ability to learn and grow as a student.
1. Class Attendance/Participation/Exercises (10%). In order to get the most out of class, you must be prepared when you come to class. Students are required to complete the readings prior to class meetings and to come to class ready to discuss them. You are also expected to keep abreast of current issues and be prepared to discuss them. I expect everyone to participate actively in the discussion of the day. Roll will be taken and attendance affects your participation grade; excessive absences will result in a lower or failing grade. A midterm evaluation of the quantity and quality of your participation in class discussion will be provided approximately halfway through the semester.
You may also be asked to complete short exercises, usually written, in class and out-of-class. The short exercises will revolve around communicating an understanding of the readings and relating them to contemporary political issues.
2. Two Examinations (40%, 50%). The mid-term and final exam will consist of key concepts and essay questions. Your responses should demonstrate your mastery of the information and concepts provided in the assigned readings as well as the ideas generated in class discussions. They also should reflect your thoughtful consideration and analysis of the material. The final exam will be cumulative. You will receive a study guide in advance of each examination to help you prepare.
Missing an assignment or examination. In order to turn in a late paper or make-up an exam, I (or the GINT office, 7-2675) must be contacted WITHIN 24 HOURS OF THE DUE DATE and provided a legitimate explanation (e.g., medical illness) with evidence eventually provided. Late assignments or make-up exams will be graded in terms of a higher set of expectations given the additional time allowed. It is your responsibility to make-up or complete an assignment as soon as possible.
GRADES
Your grade will be based, not on how well you do compared to others in the class, but on the quality of substantive knowledge, quality of analysis, and effective communication demonstrated--in other words, the level of understanding demonstrated. That is, an A represents "excellent" understanding, a B+ represent "very good" understanding, a B represents "good" understanding, a C+ represents "satisfactory yet promising" understanding, a C represents "satisfactory" understanding, a D+ represents "poor" understanding; a D represents "very poor" understanding, and an F represents an "appalling" level of understanding.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
The University of South Carolina, like all institutions of higher education, is fundamentally dependent upon the maintenance of proper standards of honesty. Maintenance of those standards is the responsibility of every member of this academic community--students, instructors, and staff alike. I will not spend our time trying to find cheaters, but when confronted with clear evidence of academic dishonesty, I will respond vigorously. Such impropriety in this class will result in an F for the course.
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY AND STRATEGY
The class will be structured around what I call a class dialogue in which information, knowledge, and thought will be generated through lecture/background, discussion, and the Socratic method. I will also make an effort to integrate other mediums (such as the use of videos) in order to enhance learning and a stronger understanding of the reality of media politics.
I will often play the role of provocateur and advocate to stimulate participation. The class dialogue emphasizes the importance of student participation and active learning as a means to improve one's skills, interest, information, knowledge, and, ultimately, understanding. In essence, class discussions will consist of an active exchange between the student and professor. When deemed necessary, lectures will be provided for some of the more difficult material and to provide appropriate background.
The class is organized around the required readings. I expect every student to come to class prepared for I will regularly call on you. Every student should be able to summarize and analyze each assigned reading and place it in perspective relative to the rest of the course material. Students also will be expected to offer comments or questions which contribute to class discussions on a regular basis. It should be noted that your participation in class discussion will count for twenty percent of your overall grade.
INTEGRATING TELEVISION, FILM, AND OTHER FORMS OF MASS COMMUNICATIONS
Since the course focuses on the role of mass communications, a variety of mediums will be integrated and discussed throughout the course to enhance learning and understanding. Television, film, videos, radio, newspapers, magazines and other forms of mass communications--mediums--will be used as a source and object of study.
NATURE OF THE COURSE
One ultimate purpose of higher education and the offering of this course is to broaden your knowledge and understanding about the world around you--to learn about things that you probably don't know much about and to think about things that you haven't given much thought to. At the same time, I recognize that many individuals hold strong beliefs and feelings about the United States, often based more on faith and emotion rather than substantive knowledge. Therefore, much of the material in this course may be controversial and will challenge you to think about many beliefs and assumptions you hold (and have rarely examined).
Your role is to act as student, social scientist, or policy analyst, not policymaker, activist, or true believer. Remember, our goal is to better understand reality--in this case the history and contemporary practice of mass communications and American politics--regardless of what your feelings and opinions are about that reality. Learning and understanding are to be accomplished through the accumulation of information and knowledge and reliance on an open and critical mind.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Jerel Rosati is a Professor and has been a member of the Department of Government and International Studies at Carolina for fifteen years. He has a great love of knowledge and learning about the world and human affairs. His intellectual interests range from understanding American politics and history, United States foreign policy, and the Vietnam War to exploring the dynamics of global change, political psychology, and the nature of human interaction. In addition to the usual undergraduate and graduate students, he has taught Bulgarians, Israelis, Somalis, Master's of International Business students, and high school teachers. He has been named the Outstanding Professor of the Year in the Humanities and Social Sciences by the South Carolina (Honors) College and the Outstanding Teacher in International Studies in the Department of Government & International Studies. He also enjoys research and writing, and is the author of The Carter Administration's Quest for Global Community: Beliefs and Their Impact on Behavior and The Politics of United States Foreign Policy, as well as the co-editor of The Power of Human Needs in World Society and Foreign Policy Restructuring: How Governments Respond to Global Change. He has been a Research Associate in the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Division of the Library of Congress's Congressional Research Service, served as President of the International Studies Association's Foreign Policy Analysis Section, and President of the Southern region of the International Studies Association. He is the proud father of three small children and enjoys travel, sports, music, reading, and good company. He came of age during the early seventies as an undergraduate at U.C.L.A. when the events surrounding the Vietnam War and Watergate reached a crescendo, which had a profound impact on his personal and intellectual development to the present day.
Please feel free to come see me during my office hours or any other time I am free.
THIS SYLLUBUS REFLECTS THE EXPECTATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS YOU MUST FULFILL. I EXPECT YOU TO TAKE THE COURSE SERIOUSLY AND WORK AS HARD AS I DO--WHICH IS, AFTERALL, THE KEY TO LEARNING AND INTELLECTUAL GROWTH.
REQUIRED READINGS
John J. Fialka, Hotel Warriors: Covering the Gulf War (Washington, D.C.: Woodrow Wilson Center Press, 1991)
Universal Copies packed of required readings, available at 1120 College Streed (next to Sandy's Hot Dogs on the corner of Main and College Streets; 254-8931)
The readings are intended to be accessible and diverse so as to improve your ability to acquire an understanding of the dynamics of American politics and its real-world relevance. The required readings for each week are specified under Course Topics and Readings below.
Contemporary Affairs. It is also expected that you will follow contemporary affairs through the media during this semester more than you might normally be accustomed. Paying attention to the national news--suching as reading the newspaper, watching network television, or listening to National Public Radio--is strongly encouraged. You should also familiarize yourself with the litany of magazines and journals which present a host of intellectual, opinion, and policy positions. Such journals can be found in the Thomas Cooper Library, the Institute of International Studies Library located on the Fourth Floor of Gambrell Hall, the Richland County Public Library on Assembly Street, and the bookstore Intermezzo (next to Goatfeather's).
American Media Sources on American politics (see the back of the syllabus for many of the web sites):
TV:
National News (ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN)
MSNBC and CNBC
Nightline (ABC), M-F 11:30-12:00 pm
News Hour with Jim (PBS), M-F 6:00-7:00 pm
This Week with David Brinkley (ABC), Sunday 10:30-11:30 am
Face the Nation (CBS), Sunday 12:00-12:30 pm
Meet the Press (NBC), Sunday 9:00-10:00 am
60 Minutes (CBS), Sunday 7:00-8:00 pm
Frontline (PBS), Tuesday 10:00-11:00 pm
CSPAN
Radio:
Morning Edition (NPR), M-F 6:00-8:00 am
All Things Considered (NPR), M-F 5:00-6:30 pm
Weekend Edition (NPR), Sat 8:00-10:00 am; Sun 9:00-11:00 am
Newspapers:
The State
New York Times
Washington Post
International Herald Tribune
Wall Street Journal
Newsweeklies:
In These Times
Newsweek
Time
U.S. News and World Report
Intellectual/Opinion journals:
American Prospect
Atlantic Monthly
Commentary
Chronicles
Dissent
Nation
National Review
New Republic
New York Review of Books
Progressive
Reason
Utne Reader
Z Magazine
Most of these sources can be accessed through the internet (see the last page of the syllabus). Other sources and public affair programs also are available, as well as fictional accounts (e.g., novels, movies) with important political messages.
COURSE TOPICS AND READINGS
1. Introduction
2. Mediated Reality and The Power of the Media
Kenneth Janda, Jeffrey M. Berry, and Jerry Goldman, The Challenge of Democracy: Government In America (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997), pp. 172-176, 197-201
Jerel Rosati, The Politics of United States Foreign Policy (Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace, 1998), pp. 505-506
3. The Development of and Modern American Mass Media: Where the Public Gets its Information
Janda, pp. 176-181, 189-197
Rosati, pp. 506-506
Alexander Stille, “The Betrayal of History,” New York Review of Books (June 11, 1998), pp. 15-20
4. Media Concentration, Big Business, and Regulation
Janda, pp. 181-189
Rosati, pp. 509-511
Tom Rosentiel, "The Myth of CNN," The New Republic (August 22 and 29, 1994), pp. 27-33
5. Media Competition, Bureaucracy, and Professional Journalism
Rosati, pp. 511-514
Larry Reibstein, "The Battle of the TV News Magazine Shows," Newsweek (April 11, 1994), pp. 61-66
6. Ideology, Culture, and the Centrist Media
Rosati, pp. 514-517
7. Media, Politics, and Government
Rosati, pp. 517-522
Janda, pp. 201-203
Carl Bernstein, "The Idiot Culture," The New Republic (June 8, 1992), pp. 22-28
8. Case Study: Covering War
Fialka, Hotel Warriors, all
Michael Massing, “The Media’s Own Kosovo Crisis,” Nation (May 3, 1999), pp. 18-22+-------
9. Media Influence on American Politics
review Janda, pp. 197-201
Rosati, pp. 522-531
10. Media Influence on Public Knowledge and Democratic Citizenship
Rosati, pp. 531-534
review Janda, pp. 195-197; read Janda, pp. 203-207
MID-TERM
11. The Prevalence of Symbolic Politics
Rosati, pp. 534-536
12. The Entertainment Media
Rosati, pp. 536-540
Michael Parenti, "Political Entertainment," in Make-Believe Media: The Politics of Entertainment (New York: St. Martin's, 1997), pp. 1-12
Rob Lamp, “Rock Music Has a Negative Effect on Youth,” The New American (February 17, 1988), pp. 121-126
Leo N. Miletich, “Rock Music’s Effect is Exaggerated,” Reason (1987), pp. 127-133
13. Television Culture and Inside Prime Time
Robert D. Holsworth and J. Harry Wray, "Media Reality and Television Culture," in American Politics and Everyday Life (New York: Macmillan, 1987), pp. 106-108, 125-134
Michael Parenti, "Child Abuse," in Make-Believe Media: The Politics of Entertainment (New York: St. Martin's, 1997), pp. 163-171
14. Advertising
Michael Parenti, "The Little Consumers" in Make-Believe Media: The Politics of Entertainment (New York: St. Martin's, 1997), pp. 171-176
Michael Parenti, “Advertising Has a Negative Effect on Society,” in Inventing Reality: The Politics of the Mass Media (1986), pp. 187-192
Clifford G. Christains, Kim B. Rotzoll, and Mark Fackler, “Advertising has Little Effect on Society,” Media Ethics (1987), pp. 193-196
Robert D. Holsworth and J. Harry Wray, "The Conventions of Consumer Society" in American Politics and Everyday Life (New York: Macmillan, 1987), pp. 23-50
15. Hollywood and Film
“Our Movies, Ourselves,” Newsweek (special issue, 1998), pp. 10-15, 98-101
Dan Nimmo and James E. Combs, "The Vision from Sunset Boulevard: The Political Fantasies of Hollywood," in Mediated Political Realities (New York: Longman, 1990), pp. 106-128
16. The Alternative Media
Rosati, pp. 540-546 (including specialized media)
Eric Bates, “Chaining the Alternatives,” Nation June 29, 1998), pp. 11-18
Thomas Byrne Edsall, "America's Sweetheart--Rush Limbaugh," The New York Review of Books (October 6, 1994), pp. 6-10
17. Information, Ideas, Symbols, and Politics
Janda, pp. 207-209
Rosati, p. 546
FINAL EXAM