The George Washington University
Spring Semester, 2014
Wednesdays 5:10pm
School of Media and Public Affairs
Short-term Study Abroad Program
SMPA 3195-60
Globalization and the Media: An International Communications Seminar
1. COURSE OVERVIEW:
This three credit course will include a Spring Break trip to Paris—featuring panels, speakers, and field trips–
with journalists, executives, government officials, scholars and others who bring a unique international
perspective to major media issues. There will also be time each day during the trip for social and cultural
events and for sightseeing. Because most of the classroom hours will take place in Paris, the class will meet
only once every two weeks before and after the trip to discuss readings and related issues. There will be no
examination but a final paper will be due by the end of the semester. Students taking the course for
graduate credit will have expanded reading and writing assignments.
The media have played a central role in creating the phenomenon of globalization—and globalization has
also been reshaping the media in all parts of the world. A new category of media has emerged which is truly
global in scope, but national and regional media have also retained their own distinctive characteristics.
These developments will provide some of the central themes for the class.
2. INSTRUCTOR:
Professor Lee W. Huebner, huebner@gwu.edu Phone: 202-994-0046. Office Hours: Wednesdays from 3:15
to 5:10 pm & by appointment. Room 511, SMPA Building
3. READING:
Sven Steinmo and Jeffrey Kopstein (editors), Growing Apart? America & Europe in the 21st Century (2008)
Thomas L. Friedman, The World is Flat: A Brief History of the 21st Century. Updated Edition (2006)
Philip Seib, Al Jazeera English. Global News in a Changing World (2012)
Dominique Moisi, The Geopolitics of Emotion (2009)
Adam Gopnik, Paris to the Moon (2001)
Foreign Affairs, Sept.-Oct., 2012. “Eurodammerung.” This series of articles will be distributed in class.
Rick Steve’s guide is a comprehensive, readable guidebook to Paris and the nearby region (Optional).
4. CLASS MEETINGS AND PROJECTS:
A. The class will meet on designated Wednesdays. Regular class attendance and active participation in
class discussions–both in Washington and Paris --will be an important part of the course and grade.
Students who must be absent, in either venue, should inform the instructor in advance if at all possible. Note
that laptops, tablets, and cell phones should not be used during class discussions.
B. Each student will be asked to write a very short discussion paper (to be submitted on-line in advance of
the class) about each of the reading assignments that precede the spring break trip—just a page or two
(double-spaced), listing any brief personal reactions to the assigned reading and raising interesting
questions to be taken up in the class discussions.
C. Each student will write a final “ Reflections” paper of 7 to 8 pages (double-spaced) which will be due no
later than Monday, April 21. The papers (which should be submitted on-line) should be based on the Paris
experience, highlighting important personal reactions—in the seminar itself and during non-seminar hours.
These papers should be submitted on-line to the instructor’s email address.
5. GRADING Three elements will comprise the final grade. They are: class discussion and participation (in
Washington and in Paris), 40%; the short discussion papers, 30% (5% each) ; and the final paper (30%).
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6. TOPIC AND ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE
The class is scheduled to meet in Washington on designated Wednesdays before and after the Paris trip.
Class meetings in Paris will begin on Sunday afternoon, March 9 and end on Saturday morning, March 15.
January 15: Course Overview (Course will not meet on January 22.)
January 29: Read Seib book
February 5: Read Moisi book
February 12: Read selected chapters (Intro, plus Chapters 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8) of Steinmo and Kopstein.
February 19: Read Friedman book (Part One). Part Two is optional reading.
February 26: Read “Eurodammerung” series of three articles from Foreign Affairs, plus Paul Horne article,
March 5: Read Gopnik, chapters 1,3, 6-7, 12-13, 17-23. Class will not meet, but short paper due on reading.
March 9-15: Seminar sessions in Paris.
March 19: Discussion of Paris trip.
April 16: Presentations based on student Final Papers (papers due on April 21).
7. LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the conclusion of this course, students should be able to:
Summarize the major trends which have changed the nature of international media in recent years, both the growing
category of cross-border media and the changing nature of local and national media.
Describe varying ways of interpreting the relationship between media and society in Europe and the US.
Compare and contrast differing approaches to professional media careers in an international context.
Evaluate the impact of technological change as both a fragmenting and a connecting force.
8. OTHER UNIVERSITY AND CLASS POLICIES
University Policy on Religious Holidays: 1. Students should notify the instructor during the first week of the semester of
their intention to be absent from class on their day(s) of religious observance; 2. The instructor will extend to these
students the courtesy of absence without penalty on such occasions, including permission to make up examinations.
Academic Integrity: The instructor supports and will enforce the GW Code of Academic Integrity, including this provision:
“Academic dishonesty is defined as cheating of any kind, including misrepresenting one's own work, taking credit for the
work of others without crediting them and without appropriate authorization, and the fabrication of information.” For the
remainder of the code, see: http://www.gwu.edu/~ntegrity/code.html
Disability support services: Any student who may need an accommodation related to a disability should contact the
Disability Support Services office at 202-994-8250 in the Marvin Center, Suite 242, to establish eligibility and to coordinate
reasonable accommodations. For additional information please refer to: http://gwired.gwu.edu/dss/
The University Counseling Center (UCC): 202-994-5300—UCC offers 24/7 assistance and referral to
address students' personal, social, career, and study skills problems. Services for students include: crisis and emergency
mental health consultations, as well as confidential assessment, counseling services (individual and small group), and
referrals.http://gwired.gwu.edu/counsel/CounselingServices/AcademicSupportServices
Security: In case of an emergency, if possible, the class should shelter in place. If the class building is affected, follow
the posted evacuation procedures for the building. After evacuation, seek shelter at a predetermined rendezvous location.
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