COM 517 Schedule, Fall 2008

Date	Topics	Readings
Aug 27	Communication, Politics, and the Responsive Chord Study Questions: How do we account for how the processes of communication influence our understanding of the communication itself? Is it possible to achieve rational public discourse through the processes and practices of human communication?	Tony Schwartz, The resonance principcle in communication Tony Schwartz The story of the Daisy Spot A Shifting Master Narrative (Boston Globe, 8/08/08) How To Erase That Smear... New York Times (8/17/08)
Sep 1	LABOR DAY Break
Sep 3	Media and Democracy Study Questions: How is the relationship between media and democracy problematic? What do Blumler and Kanavagh mean when they refer to the "third age" of political communication and how is that manifest in the 2008 Presidential campaign so far?	Negrine & Strayer, Section 1
Sep 10	Media Effects Study Questions: How does the study of media effects inform the study of political communication? What is the concept of framing and how does it function in political campaigns?	Negrine & Strayer, Section 5
Sep 17	Election Campaigns Group Question: Does Trent & Friedenberg's model for the evolution of a campaign still apply to 21st century campaigns? Due next class	Trent & Friedenberg, Chap. 2-3 Negrine & Strayer, Section 3
Sep 24	Election Campaigns: Advertising Group Task: Chose two advertisements from either the Obama or McCain campaigns and assess them according to rhetorical and televisual styles. Due next class The Living Room Candidate: an archive of Presidential tv ads	Trent & Friedenberg, Chaps. 5, 10 Negrine & Strayer, Section 4
Oct 1	Election Campaigns: Practices Study Questions: How has modern communication technologies influence recurring campaign practices? How are debates evaluated by each of the candidates?	Trent & Friedenberg, Chap. 6-8
Oct 8	GROUP MEETING TIME: No class session
Oct 13	Fall Break
Oct 15	Media and political advocates Media and political engagement Interpersonal communication and voting	Negrine & Strayer, Section 2 Negrine & Strayer, Section 6 Trent & Friedenberg, Chap. 9
Oct 22	New Media Environments Group Task: Each group will report on the websites of the Senate race assigned.(10-15 minute presentation)	Negrine & Strayer, Section 8 Trent & Friedenberg, Chap. 11
Oct 29	2008 Election Campaign Analysis
Nov 5	Election Postmortem
Nov 12-19	Team Meetings
Dec 3	Politics in Popular Culture: From Mr Smith to The West Wing	TBA
Dec 10	Team Presentations
Wednesday, Dec. 17, 6:15-8:15 p.m.

Date

Topics

Readings

Aug 27

Communication, Politics, and the Responsive Chord

Study Questions:

How do we account for how the processes of communication influence our understanding of the communication itself?

Is it possible to achieve rational public discourse through the processes and practices of human communication?

Tony Schwartz, The resonance principcle in communication

Tony Schwartz

The story of the Daisy Spot

A Shifting Master Narrative (Boston Globe, 8/08/08)

How To Erase That Smear... New York Times (8/17/08)

Sep 1

LABOR DAY Break

Sep 3

Media and Democracy

Study Questions:

How is the relationship between media and democracy problematic?

What do Blumler and Kanavagh mean when they refer to the "third age" of political communication and how is that manifest in the 2008 Presidential campaign so far?

Negrine & Strayer, Section 1

Sep 10

Media Effects

Study Questions:

How does the study of media effects inform the study of political communication?

What is the concept of framing and how does it function in political campaigns?

Negrine & Strayer, Section 5

Sep 17

Election Campaigns

Group Question:
Does Trent & Friedenberg's model for the evolution of a campaign still apply to 21st century campaigns?
Due next class

Trent & Friedenberg, Chap. 2-3
Negrine & Strayer, Section 3

Sep 24

Election Campaigns: Advertising

Group Task:
Chose two advertisements from either the Obama or McCain campaigns and assess them according to rhetorical and televisual styles.
Due next class

The Living Room Candidate: an archive of Presidential tv ads

Trent & Friedenberg, Chaps. 5, 10
Negrine & Strayer, Section 4

Oct 1

Election Campaigns: Practices

Study Questions:

How has modern communication technologies influence recurring campaign practices?

How are debates evaluated by each of the candidates?

Trent & Friedenberg, Chap. 6-8

Oct 8

GROUP MEETING TIME:
No class session

Oct 13

Fall Break

Oct 15

Media and political advocates

Media and political engagement

Interpersonal communication and voting

Negrine & Strayer, Section 2

Negrine & Strayer, Section 6
Trent & Friedenberg, Chap. 9

Oct 22

New Media Environments

Group Task:
Each group will report on the websites of the Senate race assigned.(10-15 minute presentation)

Negrine & Strayer, Section 8
Trent & Friedenberg, Chap. 11

Oct 29

2008 Election Campaign Analysis

Nov 5

Election Postmortem

Nov 12-19

Team Meetings

Dec 3

Politics in Popular Culture: From Mr Smith to The West Wing

TBA

Dec 10

Team Presentations

Wednesday, Dec. 17, 6:15-8:15 p.m.

Fall 2008
Date(s)	Calendar Item
March 24 - April 25	Priority Advising and Registration
March 24 - Aug. 31	Online and Campus Registration
Aug. 7	Payment Deadline (early registrants)
Aug. 18-21	Final Advising and Registration for Fall Semester
Aug. 25	Classes Begin
Aug. 25-29	Late Registration and Drop/Add
Aug. 29	Final Payment Deadline (late registrants)
Aug. 31	Last Day for Full Refund (for full-term classes)
Sep. 5	Weekend Classes Begin
Aug. 29	Labor Day Holiday Recess Begins at 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 2	Classes Resume
Sept. 22	Pass/Not Pass and Audit-to-Credit Deadline
Oct. 13-14	Fall Recess
Oct. 15	Classes Resume
Oct. 31	Credit-to-Audit Deadline
Oct. 31	Last Day to Withdraw from Classes (for full-term classes)
Nov. 25	Thanksgiving Recess Begins after Last Class
Dec. 1	Classes Resume
Dec. 15-21	Last Week of Classes and Final Exams
Dec. 21	Classes and Final Exams End