Saint-Louis University - Bruxelles
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POLS1320 - Media and politics



Credits : 4

Lecturer :
Mode of delivery :
Face-to-face , second term, 30 hours of theory.

Timetable :
Second term
Wednesday from 15:00 to 17:00 at 119 Marais 1200

Language of instruction :
Dutch. One or two additional texts may be in another language.

Learning outcomes :
The main aim is to familiarise the students with different scientific perspectives (theoretical and experimental) on the relation between media and politics, in the broadest sense, and with the application of these notions to concrete cases and debates. More generally, the aims are the acquisition of a theoretical knowledge, the assimilation of academic texts, the reinforcement of critical thinking, the formation of opinion on current themes in society and academic debates, as well as the participation in these debates.
As the course is given entirely in Dutch and as participation and discussion are encouraged, the improvement of Dutch language skills are also considered as an aim. In relation to this, a secondary objective is to acquire a better knowledge and understanding of Flemish news, especially topics that relate to media and politics.


Prerequisites :
For the Bachelor in Law :

For the Bachelor in Information and Communication :

For the Bachelor in Business Engineering :

For the Bachelor in Economics and Management :

For the Bachelor in Political Sciences: General :

For the Bachelor in Sociology and Anthropology :


Co-requisites :
None

Course contents :
The course can be divided into five major parts:

- The influence of the socio-economic context on media and their relation to politics;
- The importance of public authorities and legislation;
- The interaction between media and the political representation system;
- The production of information and the role played by political journalists;
- The importance of public opinion and the issue of the effects of media on the public.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods :
The course is a lecture, nevertheless interactive, stimulating the students' participation and debates on themes relating to the course. The students are expected to be attentive to political news and more specifically to its media treatment and to everything relating to the relation between media and politics. They are also encouraged to consult Dutch media.


Assessment methods and criteria :
Oral examination.
Two questions assessing the knowledge of the course (2 X 7 pts).
A 'proposition' or written ‘essay', reflecting a personal opinion well argued and based on one or more parts of the course. This work has to be handed in beforehand, and will be discussed with the professor during the examination (1 X 6 pts).


Recommended or required reading :
Witte Els (mmv A. Detant & B. Distelmans), 'Media en Politiek', VUBPress, 2002, 247 pages.
The book (p. 229 to 247) includes a detailed bibliography of reference works.


Other information :
The book “Media en Politiek” as well as some additional texts will be made available.
PowerPoint presentation, available on the course website.
Regular class attendance is expected.