2024/25 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

PIED5736M Politics, Media and Democratic Engagement

30 creditsClass Size: 20

Module manager: Dr Eike Rinke
Email: E.M.Rinke@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

Politics has always been shaped by a variety of media forms, but there is a growing consensus that the current media landscape is ever more varied as new media platforms emerge alongside, and in some cases to challenge, traditional print and broadcast media. These developments, in turn, have contradictory implications for democratic politics. This module is to explores these contradictions in more detail, and equips students with the skills necessary to critically analyse a wide variety of mediated forms of politics. It poses questions such as: what is the role of mainstream media in times of democratic transition? Are citizens empowered by new modes of digital communication? How are parliaments responding to the digital public? How has the rise of “citizen journalism” impacted upon the practice of democratic politics? To what extent is traditional media’s political importance in decline? How do authoritarian regimes respond to the challenges of new media? Does “fake news” augur a crisis in the advanced democracies? And how should we understand the role of new media in the rise of phenomena such as populism, the alt-right, and radical grassroots movements? This module tackles these kinds of questions by introducing students to a range of different concepts and approaches to the study of media and democratic politics as well as exploring case studies of mediated democratic politics.

Objectives

The module aims to: (1) Introduce students to a range of concepts and approaches to the study of media and democracy; (2) Challenge students to think critically about the role different media forms play in shaping democratic systems and citizen engagement; (3) Enable students to critically analyse a range of different case studies of mediated forms of democratic politics; (4) Equip students with the tools to evaluate the risks and opportunities that different media forms pose to the health of democratic societies; (5) Encourage students to develop their written communication and critical reasoning skills.

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Identify, explain and discuss key concepts and debates theories and methods for the analysis of different forms of mediated politics.
2. Explain and make connections between the theoretical perspectives on media and politics and contemporary challenges, problems, and issues.
3. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of analytical techniques applicable to media and democratic politics.
4. Use the key methods, theories and approaches within the analysis of media and politics in a variety of contexts

Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Evaluate the risks and opportunities that different media form in a variety of contexts.
2. Communicate ideas accurately, effectively, and persuasively in group discussions.
3. Plan and develop an independent piece of written research.

Syllabus

Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Seminar	11	2.00	22.00
Private study hours			278.00
Total Contact hours			22.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			300.00

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

There will be a substantial formative feedback element to the module. Students will be given the opportunity to submit at a specified point (likely week 7) up to 2000 words of work for formative feedback. This could be a plan of their essay, or a full draft of up to 50% of their essay. They will then have the opportunity to use feedback received on the formative piece to maximise their chances of doing well in the final, summative piece.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Assignment	Coursework	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 29/04/2024 16:19:21

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