Model curricula for journalism education for developing countries ...

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coverage. Students will work at a practical level and will discuss players, processes,
topics and policies that shape the political scenario. They will report on them in the
field, wherever the story leads, producing a body of news and feature articles. They
will also be encouraged to enhance critical analysis of political debates The course
will review the most relevant aspects of political communication, citizen journalism,
the role of the media in a democratic environment and public opinion as a target
of political communication. It will also promote debates concerning the ownership
of media, freedom of speech, censorship, regulations and restrictions on access to
public information.
Mode: Combination of lectures, seminars, workshops and individual assignments.
Pedagogical approach or method: The course will encompass a mixture of
conceptual and practical contents and activities. There will be conventional lectures
by the instructor and practising journalists, along with seminars and workshops. In
every seminar there will be some practicum on the issue of the day. Each student
will be required to write four special reports to be described and discussed in weeks
8 (on a political institution or an interest group), 15 (on one of the main political,
economic or social issues and policies discussed during the course), 21 (on a
political party campaign or a candidate campaign) and 30 (on financing a political
campaign).
Numbers of hours per week: 4 hours (2 – lectures, 2 – seminar and workshop).
Number of course weeks: Full year course: 30 weeks.
Required and recommended texts
(additional local bibliography is neccesary)
For required texts, please see schedule of classes.
• Jenkins, Henry, and Thorburn, David (eds.) (2003), Democracy and New Media,
MIT Press.
• Lavrakas, Paul, and Traugott, Michael (eds.) (2000), Election Polls, News Media and
Democracy, Seven Bridges Press.
• Raymond Kuhn, Erik Neveu (eds.) (2002), Political Journalism: New Challenges,
New Practices, Routledge/ECPR Studies in European Political Science.
• McNair, Brian (2000), Journalism and Democracy An evaluation of the political
public sphere, Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.
• Yantek, Thom, and Harper, Joe (2003), Media, Profit, and Politics: Competing
Priorities in an Open Society, Kent State University Press.
• Curran, James and Gurevitch, Michael (2000), Mass Media and Society, Oxford
University Press.