SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION

CMNS 425-4

APPLIED COMMUNICATION FOR SOCIAL ISSUES

Prerequisites:

At least 75 credit hours, including CMNS 260 or 261 and CMNS 321 or 323.

Overview:

This course examines the theories, methods and practices of social issues communication. The work of social issues communication involves the application of public communication and media analysis to the design, strategy and implementation of communication planning, programs and campaigns around social issues. Case studies and examples around such issues as AIDS awareness and prevention, health promotion, safe driving, alcohol and drug abuse, media literacy, multiculturalism/anti-racism, and others will be considered and analyzed in this course.
Social issues communication is guided by the objective of social change through the strategic and ethical use of media. It works towards a “value-centered” approach and intends to build community-oriented, self-reflexive models based on participation, dialogue, public education, and advocacy. Above all, social issues communication research and design proceeds from a comprehensive and detailed understanding of the nature of the media environment, and the role of media forms, structures and content within that environment.

Increasingly, "social responsibility" as a promotional motivation and strategy has created a blurring of the "social" and "commercial" in advertising messages. This course will critique and analyze this current and ongoing trend in commercial design and production, and explore new ways of creating social issues messages in the commercial media environment. The course will also explore the challenges posed by globalization and new media/technology toward social issues communication.

Themes and issues addressed in this course include: social issues communication – understanding communication as “intervention” and “strategy”, and examining the risks involved; role of values and ideology in media designs and implementation; citizenship, public participation and media; communication and social change; community and international development and social issues communication; experiences and views from “Third World”; globalization, networking, and experiences with new media/technology and their impact on social issues communication; the conflation of social and commercial advertising; social marketing versus social issues communication/advocacy; claims of corporate social responsibility; “small” media strategies; health communication; communication/ education for human rights; and others.

Readings:

A package of course readings will be available in the first class of the semester. A week-by-week outline of themes and a schedule for presentation dates will also be distributed in class.

Evaluation:

Foundation Research Presentation 30%
Seminar contributions/reports 20%
Final Project - design, presentation, submission 50%

The School expects that the grades awarded in this course will bear some reasonable relation to established university-wide practices with respect to both levels and distribution of grades. In addition, the School will follow Policy T10.02 with respect to "Intellectual Honesty," and "Academic Discipline" (see the current Calendar, General Regulations Section).