New Course Proposal - CMNS 437 Media Democratization: From Critique to Transformation

Bob Hackett, School of Communication

October 15, 2001

Calendar Information

An advanced seminar on the normative debates, social bases, and strategic potential for media democratization in the context of economically developed liberal democracies like Canada and the United States. This course complements other courses which critically examine state communication policies and the political economy and allegedly ideological character of corporate media. Here, we focus on campaigns and movements in civil society to define and build alternative communicative forms based on equality, democratic participation and/or human rights.

Rationale for Introduction of this Course

Elective - it is related to current faculty research and offers an important element not currently in our curriculum.

Scheduling and Registration Information

Indicate Semester and Year this course would be first offered and planned frequency of offering thereafter.

Fall 2002. As often as twice per year depending on topic, and faculty member need.

Which of your present CFL faculty have the expertise to offer this course? Will the course be taught by sessional or limited term faculty?

CFL: R. Hackett. Other possible faculty: R. Gruneau, C. Murray, Y. Zhao. No sessionals or limited term instructors likely.

Are there any proposed student fees associated with this course other than tuition fees?

Is this course considered a `duplicate' of any current or prior course under the University's duplicate course policy? Specify, as appropriate.

CMNS 487 or 428 when offered under the same subtitle.

Resource Implications

Note: Senate has approved (S.93-11) that no new course should be approved by Senate until funding has been committed for necessary library materials. Each new course proposal must be accompanied by a library report and, if appropriate, confirmation that funding arrangements have been addressed.

Provide details on how existing instructional resources will be redistributed to accommodate this new course. For instance, will another course be eliminated or will the frequency of offering of other courses be reduced; are there changes in pedagogical style or class sizes that allow for this additional course offering.

CMNS 335-4 is being dropped.

Does the course require specialized space or equipment not readily available in the department or university, and if so, how will these resources be provided?

Does this course require computing resources (e.g. hardware, software, network wiring, use of computer laboratory space) and if so, describe how they will be provided.

Course Outline

Overview: Does critical communication scholarship leave you frustrated and depressed? Aware but disempowered? This course starts where many others end – the need for a democratic renewal of the media system in economically developed liberal-democracies like Canada. The focus, however, is not on the critique of actually-existing media, but on popular efforts and movements to define and build positive alternatives. Students are being asked to consider, and engage in, normative reasoning. The course takes as a starting point a value commitment to democracy, but students are certainly not asked to accept any particular political position. They are asked, however, to seriously (and critically) consider “progressive” critiques of, and alternatives to, the dominant media.

Possible topics include: Are the dominant media sufficiently democratic? Market liberal, progressive & other perspectives. Envisioning alternatives: What would more democratic media look like? Democratization “through” media: the communication practices of progressive social movements. Democratization “of” the media. Different forms: alternative media; culture jamming; community freenets; media watchdogs; policy advocacy; media education; media reform coalitions, etc. Is democratic media reform a social movement in its own right? What are its conditions of emergency, obstances, prospects for success? Case studies.

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).