Digital Media and Politics
Module title | Digital Media and Politics |
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Module code | POL2087 |
Academic year | 2023/4 |
Credits | 15 |
Module staff | (Convenor) |
Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
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Duration: Weeks | 11 |
Number students taking module (anticipated) | 25 |
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Module description
The media environment is rapidly changing how individuals understand the issues and topics central to democratic functioning. This course covers some of the main themes and concerns driven by the changing media structure and landscape. We consider how this interaction between the media and the public affects democratic functioning: where and how people learn about, discuss, and engage with issues of public importance, such as questions of political policy about science, health, technology, and society. This module is limited to 25 students.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module aims to enable you to examine: the changing nature of political communication in the contemporary information environment; the emergent trends in findings regarding the role of new media platforms in political life; alternative and newer forms of political media and talk’ and theories which address the motivations behind online behaviour.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Understand the key debates regarding the effects of digital media on the political process
- 2. Demonstrate solid knowledge of ethical questions raised by new technological affordances
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Critically analyse primary and secondary source material
- 4. Understand political theory and models
- 5. Construct and present rigorous oral and written argument
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. Develop critical thinking skills, particularly as it relates to evaluating empirical evidence
- 7. Develop writing skills to facilitate more powerful communication
Syllabus plan
The teaching program consists of 11 weeks of seminars in one term. There will be no lectures on this module. You are therefore expected to read extensively in preparation for class. The seminars will provide you with an opportunity to discuss a specific set of questions pertaining to the issues covered in the readings.
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
-Selective exposure in online content
-Echo chambers and filter bubbles
-Facebook and Twitter as information mediums
-Fake new and misinformation
-Bots and trolls
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
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18 | 132 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
Category | Hours of study time | Description |
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Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities | 18 | 11 x 1.5 hr seminars |
Guided Independent Study | 78 | Reading assignments |
Guided Independent Study | 24 | Preparation for exam |
Guided Independent Study | 24 | Essay completion |
Guided Independent Study | 6 | Preparation for presentation |
Formative assessment
Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
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Class group presentation | 20 minutes | 1-7 | Verbal comments |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
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50 | 50 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
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Essay | 50 | 3500 | 1-7 | Written comments |
Written exam | 50 | 90 minutes | 1-7 | Written comments |
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0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
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Essay | Essay (3500 words) | 1-7 | August/September reassessment |
Written exam | Written exam (90 mins) | 1-7 | August/September reassessment |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Munger, K. (2017). Tweetment effects on the tweeted: Experimentally reducing racist harassment. Political Behavior, 39(3), 629-649.
Theocharis, Y., Barberá, P., Fazekas, Z., Popa, S. A., & Parnet, O. (2016). A bad workman blames his tweets: the consequences of citizens' uncivil Twitter use when interacting with party candidates. Journal of communication, 66(6), 1007-1031.
Anderson, A. A., Brossard, D., Scheufele, D. A., Xenos, M. A., & Ladwig, P. (2013). The “nasty effect”: Online incivility and risk perceptions of emerging technologies. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, online first.
Freelon, D. G. (2010). Analyzing online political discussion using three models of democratic communication. New Media & Society, 12(7), 1172-1190.
Freelon, D., & Karpf, D. (2015). Of big birds and bayonets: Hybrid Twitter interactivity in the 2012 presidential debates. Information, Communication & Society, 18(4), 390-406.
Milner, R. M. (2013). Pop polyvocality: Internet memes, public participation, and the Occupy Wall Street movement. International Journal of Communication, 7, 34.
Pennycook, G., Cannon, T., & Rand, D. G. (2018). Prior exposure increases perceived accuracy of fake news. Forthcoming in Journal of Experimental Psychology: General
Guess, A., Nyhan, B., & Reifler, J. (2018). Selective Exposure to Misinformation: Evidence from the consumption of fake news during the 2016 US presidential campaign.
Ercan, S. E., Hendriks, C. M., & Dryzek, J. (2018). Public deliberation in an era of communicative plenty. Policy & Politics.
Vraga, E. K., & Bode, L. (2017). I do not believe you: how providing a source corrects health misperceptions across social media platforms. Information, Communication & Society, 1-17.
Shah, D. V., Hanna, A., Bucy, E. P., Lassen, D. S., Van Thomme, J., Bialik, K., ... & Pevehouse, J. C. (2016). Dual screening during presidential debates: Political nonverbals and the volume and valence of online expression. American Behavioral Scientist, 60(14), 1816-1843.
Kreiss, D., & McGregor, S. C. (2018). Technology firms shape political communication: The work of Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter, and Google with campaigns during the 2016 US presidential cycle. Political Communication, 35(2), 155-177.
Maireder, A., & Schlögl, S. (2014). 24 hours of an# outcry: The networked publics of a socio-political debate. European Journal of Communication, 29(6), 687-702.
Highfield, T., & Bruns, A. (2015). Is Habermas on Twitter? Social media and the public sphere. In The Routledge companion to social media and politics (pp. 78-95). Routledge.
Credit value | 15 |
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Module ECTS | 15 |
Module pre-requisites | None |
Module co-requisites | None |
NQF level (module) | 5 |
Available as distance learning? | No |
Origin date | 22/06/2018 |
Last revision date | 09/07/2018 |