Advocacy and Influence: Shaping Public Opinion (11091.1)
Please note these are the 2023 details for this unit
| Available teaching periods | Delivery mode | Location |
|---|---|---|
| View teaching periods | On-Campus |
Bruce, Canberra |
| EFTSL | Credit points | Faculty |
| 0.125 | 3 | Faculty Of Arts And Design |
| Discipline | Study level | HECS Bands |
| School Of Arts And Communications | Level 3 - Undergraduate Advanced Unit | Band 2 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021) Band 4 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021) Band 4 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan Social Work_Exclude 0905) |
This unit provides you with an understanding of journalism and professional communication in a political, activist and social context, and how these industries can influence public opinion and policy and drive issues onto the political and public agenda. In this unit you will explore foundations of persuasive communication, propaganda and rhetoric by examining elections, campaigns and mediated political communication. You will dissect the role of media advisors, image-makers, political journalists and lobbyists in the creation of news and policy. You will also examine Parliamentary processes and democratic representation and how not-for-profits, industry associations, corporations and individuals participate in and influence the democratic process with the help of communications professionals.
1. Critique the different approaches to persuasive and propagandist communication and how they are applied in different cultural and political contexts around the world;
2. Critically examine the role of media and communications in the formation of public opinion and public policy through analytical research of campaigns, social media and other appropriate communication outputs; and
3. Analyse Parliamentary and advocacy processes as they relate to contemporary theories of democratic communication and public representation.
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
2. UC graduates are global citizens - adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries
2. UC graduates are global citizens - think globally about issues in their profession
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development
Learning outcomes
After successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:1. Critique the different approaches to persuasive and propagandist communication and how they are applied in different cultural and political contexts around the world;
2. Critically examine the role of media and communications in the formation of public opinion and public policy through analytical research of campaigns, social media and other appropriate communication outputs; and
3. Analyse Parliamentary and advocacy processes as they relate to contemporary theories of democratic communication and public representation.
Graduate attributes
1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
2. UC graduates are global citizens - adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries
2. UC graduates are global citizens - think globally about issues in their profession
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development
Prerequisites
Students need to have completed 36 credit points to enrol in this unit.Corequisites
None.Incompatible units
None.Equivalent units
9303 Journalism and Society 8127 Journalism and Political Process 8125 Campaigns Election and Lobbying 9024 Introduction to Political CommunicationAssumed knowledge
None.| Year | Location | Teaching period | Teaching start date | Delivery mode | Unit convener |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Bruce, Canberra | Semester 2 | 31 July 2023 | On-Campus | Dr Caroline Fisher |
The information provided should be used as a guide only. Timetables may not be finalised until week 2 of the teaching period and are subject to change. Search for the unit
timetable.
Required texts
There are no required texts for this unit, however, there are some that are recommended:
- McNair, B, 2018. Introduction to Political Communication. Available online in the UC Library
- Murphy-Gregory, H., Ward, I., Kefford, G., Jackson, S., Cox, L. and Carson, A., 2018. Australian politics in the twenty-first century: old institutions, new challenges. Cambridge University Press.
- Jennifer Lees-Marshment., 2009/2019. Political Marketing. In the UC Library.
- Vromen, A., 2017. Digital Citizenship and Political Engagement the challenge from online advocacy organizations. Palgrave Macmillan.
- Karpf, D., 2016. Analytic activism: Digital listening and the new political strategy. Oxford University Press.
Participation requirements
Students who attend campus for class or other purposes must play their part in keeping our campus and community safe by following these basic guidelines to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission:
- Practise good hand hygiene, washing hands regularly;
- If you do happen to cough or sneeze, please do so into the crook of your elbow, dispose of tissues immediately and wash hands immediately
- Practise effective physical distancing;
- Follow all directions of teaching and other UC staff regarding safety measures;
- Stay off campus if you are unwell and get tested according to ACT Government guidelines, and
- Follow University communications about campus arrangements https://www.canberra.edu.au/coronavirus-advice
Required IT skills
No special IT skills are required. Word processing skills and social media skills are beneficial.
In-unit costs
There are no in-unit costs.
Work placement, internships or practicums
There is no work placement, however industry practitioners will provide guest lectures.
Additional information
To succeed in this unit, students need to stay up-to-date with news and current affairs related to local, national and international politics. Students are strongly advised to read, watch and listen to high quality, credible, free online news services such as the ABC, BBC, SBS, The Guardian, News.com.au.
