J396 – International Communication
Winter 2014 (CRN 24377; 4 credits)
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 4:00 – 5:50 p.m. (Allen 221)
Instructor:
Dr. Mary Erickson (mericks1@uoregon.edu)
Office Location: Allen 314
Office Hours: Tuesdays, 10:15-11:15 a.m. & Thursdays, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Also available by appointment
GTFs:
Francesco Somaini (fsomaini@uoregon.edu)
Office Location: Allen 210
Office Hours: Tuesdays, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Edwin Wang (wangw@uoregon.edu)
Office Location: Allen 210
Office Hours: Thursdays, 3:00-4:00 p.m.
Course Description: This course explores theoretical and practical concepts of international
communications; included are indigenous communications systems, intercultural and cross-cultural
communications. Both historical and contemporary perspectives on the topic are addressed,
particularly as they relate to issues of democracy, cultural autonomy, political rights, social justice,
communication flow debates, domestic and international communication and information policy,
communication systems of different world regions, global representations in U.S. media, new
technologies, and developments in global technology and economic media developments.
This course offers the opportunity to look critically at global media structures and communication
flows that enable (or not) people in different parts of the globe to be informed, voice their views and
also construct images/identities of themselves and others.
Course Objectives:
 Promote critical thinking on relevant historical and contemporary issues of international
communications and their implications for our society and others in the world.
 Gain a better understanding of the meaning of concepts such as “the West,” “Third World,”
“First World,” “Global South” and how our worldviews have given shape to these concepts,
relating these to international media and communications.
 Learn about different regions of the world and their communications systems.
 Learn how politics, economics and culture play a role in shaping domestic and international
communication structures.
 Hone skills in media analysis, research, writing and peer review by completing the main
research paper assignment.
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Required Texts:
 All required readings will be available on Blackboard.
Optional Texts/Recommended Resources:
 Thussu, K. Daya (2006). International Communication: Continuity and Change, 2nd Edition.
London: Arnold.
 You should keep up with international news and pay particular attention to stories about
media. Some good sources for international news are:
o Inter Press Services (http://www.ipsnews.net/)
o BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world/)
o NHK Japan (http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/)
o Al Jazeera (http://www.aljazeera.com/)
o Also check http://www.antiwar.com/sources.html for links to international news
outlets.
 Research resource:
o Knight Library J396 Website
(http://libweb.uoregon.edu/guides/journalism/j396/index.html)
Grading Evaluation:
Written assignments will be evaluated according to the assignment instructions and evaluation
guidelines that will be posted on Blackboard. Please familiarize yourself with these guidelines as
soon as possible.
Course Requirements:
% of Grade
10%
40%
25%
25%
Assignment
Reading Quizzes
Research Project – Focused case study of an issue of your
choice that pertains to international communication
Midterm Exam – Thursday, Feb. 6th
Final Exam – Thursday, March 20th @ 1:00 p.m.
Course Policies:
 Policies on Diversity and Community Standards:
o Open inquiry, freedom of expression, and respect for difference are fundamental to a
comprehensive and dynamic education. The SOJC is committed to upholding these
ideals by encouraging the exploration, engagement, and expression of divergent
perspectives and diverse identities.
o The University of Oregon community is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge
and the development of integrity. In order to thrive and excel, this community must
preserve the freedom of thought and expression of all its members. The University of
Oregon has a long and illustrious history in the area of academic freedom and
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freedom of speech. A culture of respect that honors the rights, safety, dignity and
worth of every individual is essential to preserve such freedom. We affirm our respect
for the rights and well-being of all members.
 Attendance:
o All SOJC courses are covered by the university’s mandatory attendance policy:
Academic departments may require students to attend the first and/or second
meetings of designated classes. Students who do not attend the first two sessions of
these classes may be directed by the academic department to drop the course so that
the seat may be given to another student. Students are responsible for dropping the
class; there is no automatic drop. Students may be notified by email to withdraw from
the course if they do not attend the first day of class. If the student remains enrolled,
he/she will earn an F grade at the end of the term.
o Attendance records are not maintained for this class; however, your attendance is
strongly encouraged, as absences generally will adversely affect your grade. Please
notify the instructor as soon as possible of any anticipated absence. Excused absences
include medical and family emergencies only and students must provide appropriate
documentation to the instructor. Students are responsible for work missed during any
absence from class. You are expected to obtain class notes from one of your peers if
you are absent.
 Discussion/Participation:
o Discussion and participation in class are very important. Students must have done the
required readings prior to class and actively engage in class discussion. Students may
be asked to bring in real-world current examples of class concepts and themes.
o Participation means that you are actively engaged in class. Texting, browsing the
internet, checking email, or doing non-class related tasks during class are not
allowed. Students must participate civilly in discussions and behave respectfully
toward all others. Anyone violating these norms may be required to leave the
classroom and, in some cases, may be reported to the Student Judicial Affairs Office.
 Communication with Instructor/GTFs:
o You are assigned a GTF based on your last name (check Blackboard by the beginning
of Week 2 for your GTF’s name). This person will grade all of your class
assignments. You are highly encouraged to visit your GTF during office hours. Dr.
Erickson also holds office hours and you are absolutely welcome and encouraged to
visit those as well. It’s always good to get to know your instructors and GTFs!
o When sending an email to your instructor or GTF, please include “J396 – Your
Name” in the subject line. We will respond to email within 24 hours during the week
and longer over the weekend. Compose your emails with proper salutations and
grammar.
 Assignments:
o Late assignments are not accepted except in the case of illness, injury, or family
emergency with appropriate documentation.
o Students are responsible for keeping a backup copy of any submitted written work
until after the instructor has turned in final grades for the course.
o If a student would like to dispute a grade received on an assignment, he or she must
send a memo to the instructor explaining his or her case.
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 A Note on Writing and Researching:
o Quality writing is an essential skill for this class. Spelling and grammatical errors will
not be accepted. Please proofread all assignments before turning them in.
o Much of the coursework in this class is based on research. Students must critically
evaluate each of their sources (particularly web-based sources) for information
accuracy. Wikipedia is a good starting point for research – it can give you ideas for
other places to find information. With that said, Wikipedia is often unreliable and
therefore should be used sparingly.
 Academic Dishonesty:
o The University Student Conduct Code (available at conduct.uoregon.edu) defines
academic misconduct. Students are prohibited from committing or attempting to
commit any act that constitutes academic misconduct. By way of example, students
should not give or receive (or attempt to give or receive) unauthorized help on
assignments or examinations without express permission from the instructor.
Students should properly acknowledge and document all sources of information (e.g.
quotations, paraphrases, ideas) and use only the sources and resources authorized by
the instructor. If there is any question about whether an act constitutes academic
misconduct, it is the students’ obligation to clarify the question with the instructor
before committing or attempting to commit the act.
o Any form of academic dishonesty, including cheating or plagiarizing, is a serious
offense and will result in an F on the assignment in question and possibly for the
entire course.
 Academic Assistance:
o The University of Oregon is dedicated to the principles of equal opportunity in
education and accepts diversity as an affirmation of individual identity within a
welcoming community. Disability is recognized as an aspect of diversity integral to
the university and to society. If there are aspects of the instruction or design of this
course that result in barriers to your participation, please notify the instructor as
soon as possible. You are also welcome to contact the Accessible Education Center
in 164 Oregon Hall at 346-1155 or uoaec@uoregon.edu.
 Notice about Inclement Weather:
o Because it is a residential campus with 24/7 operations, the University of Oregon
historically has not closed during inclement weather. In rare circumstances, however,
extremely dangerous weather conditions may force the university to curtail hours
(i.e., open late or close early or close completely). In the event of inclement weather,
the instructor will notify students of class cancellation via email and Blackboard.
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Course Schedule
**Readings are to be completed prior to the class session for which they are assigned.**
This schedule is subject to change and students will be notified in class or via email or Blackboard.
Week 1
Tuesday, Jan. 7
Thursday, Jan. 9
Week 2
Tuesday, Jan. 14
Thursday, Jan. 16
Week 3
Tuesday, Jan. 21
Introduction to class / Introduction to International Communication (IC)
Major Concepts in IC, Historical Foundations of IC
Readings:
 Daya Thussu, “The Historical Context of International
Communications”
History and Theories of IC
Library Research – Guest Speaker: Paul Frantz
Readings:
 Stephen McDowell, “Theory and Research in International
Communication: A Historical and Institutional Account”
 Daya Kishan Thussu, “Case Study: Zee TV and Hybrid Television”
 Canace Morgan, “Early Globalization and The Roots of Dancehall”
History and Theories of IC (cont’d)
Global Infrastructures and Media Corporations
Readings:
 Chiara Ferrari, “Dubbing The Simpsons: Or How Groundskeeper
Willie Lost His Kilt in Sardinia”
 SeungHo Cho & Jee Young Chung, “We Want our MTV:
Glocalisation of Cable Content in China, Korea and Japan”
 Peruse Free Press’ “Who Owns the Media?” page
(http://www.freepress.net/ownership/chart?gclid=COPPq5vHqasCFQ
d6gwod3CRd4Q)
 RESEARCH PROPOSAL DUE on Jan. 21 at 4pm
Thursday, Jan. 23
Global Infrastructures and Media Corporations (cont’d)
Readings:
 Cacilda Rego & Antonio La Pastina,“Brazil and the Globalization of
Telenovelas”
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Week 4
Tuesday, Jan. 28
Thursday, Jan. 30
Week 5
Tuesday, Feb. 4
Thursday, Feb. 6
Week 6
Tuesday, Feb. 11
Thursday, Feb. 13
Week 7
Tuesday, Feb. 18
International Journalism
Readings:
 Excerpts from Chris Ayres, War Reporting for Cowards
 Excerpts from Sambrook, “Are Foreign Correspondents Redundant?”
 Reporters without Borders, “World Press Freedom Index 2013”
(http://fr.rsf.org/IMG/pdf/classement_2013_gb-bd.pdf)
 Peruse website for Reporters without Borders
 Peruse website for Freedom House (http://www.freedomhouse.org),
especially “Media Freedom” and “Internet Freedom” pages
o Media Freedom: http://www.freedomhouse.org/issues/mediafreedom
o Internet Freedom:
http://www.freedomhouse.org/issues/internet-freedom
International Journalism (cont’d) – Guest Lecture: Dan Morrison
Readings: TBA
Media Regulation and Policy
Readings:
 Peruse Mapping Global Media Policy website
(http://www.globalmediapolicy.net/)
*MIDTERM EXAM
Public Diplomacy
Readings:
 Joseph Nye, Jr., “Public Diplomacy and Soft Power”
 Jane Morse, “Effective Public Diplomacy Needs Social Media”
 Tom Woods, “U.S. Still Needs Radio for Public Diplomacy in the
Internet Age”
Representation of World in US Media
Readings:
 Leslie Steeves, “Commodifying Africa on U.S. Network Reality
Television”
Media in Africa
Readings:
 Nina Malakooty, “Closing the Digital Divide? The $100 PC and
Other Projects for Developing Countries”
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Thursday, Feb. 20
Media in Middle East
Readings:
 Margaret Weigel, “Global Protest, Technology and Social Media:
Research Roundup”
 Azzaman, “Arab Bloggers Still Face Harassment, Persecution”
 RESEARCH PAPER DUE in class at 4:00 p.m. (turn in hard copy)
Week 8
Tuesday, Feb. 25
Thursday, Feb. 27
Media in Asia
Readings:
 Lianne Gutcher, “Afghan reality TV show's goal is national unity”
 Peruse Bamyan Media website (http://bamyan.org/)
Media in Asia (cont’d)
Readings:
 Watch: “Michael Anti: Behind the Great Firewall of China”
http://www.ted.com/talks/michael_anti_behind_the_great_firewall
_of_china.html
 PEER REVIEW DUE in class at 4:00 p.m.
Week 9
Tuesday, Mar. 4
Thursday, Mar. 6
Media in Europe and Russia
Readings:
 Steinholt, “Kitten Heresy”
 Sarah Kendzior, “Manic Pixie Dream Dissidents: How the World
Misunderstands Pussy Riot”
 Kevin Platt, “Examining International Media Coverage and
Responses to Pussy Riot”
Media in Latin America
Readings:
 “Media Freedom in Latin America”
 “The Diario de Juarez Editorial, in Translation”
 “Latin America: Public Media Expanding”
 Optional: “Confronting the News: The State of Independent Media in
Latin America”
 ** RESEARCH PAPER DUE in class at 4:00 p.m.
(turn in hard copy and on SafeAssign)
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Week 10
Tuesday, Mar. 11
Thursday, Mar. 13
Media in North America / Indigenous Media
Readings:
 Selection from Wilson & Stewart, Global Indigenous Media
Class wrap-up
FINAL EXAM
Thursday, March 20, 2014 (1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.)
Allen 221
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J396 – International Communication
Winter 2014
Dr. Erickson
Research Paper:
Case Studies of International Communication/Media
This 8-10 page research paper assignment is a focused case study of a phenomenon, event, policy, etc.,
that pertains to international communication/media. This assignment is intended to enlarge your view of
international media by allowing you to delve deeply into one topic, while honing your skills in media
analysis, research and writing. This assignment also has a peer review component for which you will
submit your final draft to another student for review. In turn, you will review that student’s paper. You
will then resubmit your (revised) final draft to be graded by your GTF.
There are four components to this project. They include:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Topic Selection & Research Proposal
Final Draft for Peer Review
Peer Review of Partner’s Paper
Final Draft and Revision Evaluation to be Graded by GTF
Due Jan. 21
Due Feb. 20
Due Feb. 27
Due March 6
Topic Selection & Research Proposal
You may choose as the topic for this assignment any event, incident, phenomenon, state/business policy,
activity of a (international) corporation as long as it is undoubtedly an issue in the field of international
communication. Try to find an informative and enlightening topic that reflects your interest in this class
and international media more generally. A thorough and in-depth analysis of your subject is the essence
of this project. The narrower the scope of the project, the better your research paper will be. For instance,
do not choose “Internet censorship,” which is too broad to be thoroughly covered in this research paper.
Instead, do “How do Internet censorship policies differ between China and Singapore?” Other examples
of past projects include: “How was the 2010 FIFA World Cup covered in the news in South Africa?” and
“How has MTV been localized in different regions of the world?”
Think about the following questions: What is your specific research question about the topic? Why is the
question worth investigating? What is your answer to the question and what evidence backs up your
arguments? How does your answer to the question differ from the previous ones? What may be the
implications of your study to the field of international communication?
 Consider this: How does your topic reflect or demonstrate various concepts that we’ve learned in
class?
Research Proposal (1 page):
 Due Tuesday, Jan. 21 in class
 This proposal will include:
 Statement of your research question: what are you trying to find out?
 Brief description of the project: expand on your research question.
 List of 3-4 possible sources (at least one scholarly source)
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(Research Paper Assignment Continued)
Final Draft for Peer Review
The paper length should be 8-10 pages (not including bibliography). This paper needs to be your final
draft. It should not be a work-in-progress. You will be turning in this version with the version you turn in
on March 4, and the completeness of this final draft will be assessed with the revision.
For outside sources you use, you MUST provide full and proper citations. Use any standard format for
citation (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.). See Blackboard for further guidelines on citation styles. Your paper
must follow a standard term paper format with an introduction and a conclusion. It should be doublespaced with 1” margins and will be evaluated according to how much thought and effort has gone into
gathering information, synthesizing and analyzing it, and presenting a well-organized, well-written paper.
Be sure to double-check grammar and spelling.
 Due Thursday, February 20 in class (hard copy to partner)
Peer Review of Partner’s Paper
You will be assigned a partner whose paper you will review and who will review your paper. Peer
reviewers will assess their partner’s paper based on a series of criteria. Instructions will be handed out in
class later in the term.
 Due Thursday, February 27 in class (marked-up hard copy returned to partner)
Final Paper & Revision Evaluation
You will address the comments from your peer reviewer in a revision of your paper. You are not required
to make every edit that they suggested, but you will need to justify changes that you make in a Revision
Evaluation. This is a statement (approx. 100-150 words) that describes the usefulness of the peer review
and the changes that you made in your paper.
 Due Thursday, March 6 in class and on SafeAssign
 You will also need to turn in, with the hard copy of your paper:
o Revision evaluation
o Peer reviewed paper: Turn in the paper that was marked up by your peer reviewer
Breakdown of total grade for this assignment:
Research Proposal
Peer Review of Partner’s Paper
Revision Evaluation
Final Paper
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5%
25%
5%
65%
10