Social Media and Cultural-Political Transformation
SIS 628-011/SIS 419-050 Shalini Venurelli
This course explores the increasingly significant global role of digital social media in creating cultural-political transformative changes in countries and regions worldwide. From social media-driven movements among indigenous groups and cultural, environmental and human rights activists in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, to uprisings for cultural and political change in conflict zones of North Africa, Middle East and South Asia, to cutting-edge cultural-political applications in dynamically changing societies of Southeast Asia and East Asia, we examine prominent international illustrations of social media trends and patterns in the 21st century. Students have an opportunity to track concrete social media uses in real-time in different national, cultural and political contexts, assess and offer cross-cultural comparisons, and develop meaningful analyses useful for professional advancement relevant to both the public and private sectors.
This course explores the increasingly significant global role of digital social media in creating cultural-political transformative changes in countries and regions worldwide. From social media-driven movements among indigenous groups and cultural, environmental and human rights activists in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, to uprisings for cultural and political change in conflict zones of North Africa, Middle East and South Asia, to cutting-edge cultural-political applications in dynamically changing societies of Southeast Asia and East Asia, we examine prominent international illustrations of social media trends and patterns in the 21st century. Students have an opportunity to track concrete social media uses in real-time in different national, cultural and political contexts, assess and offer cross-cultural comparisons, and develop meaningful analyses useful for professional advancement relevant to both the public and private sectors.
Health Communication across Borders
SIS 628-007/419-023 Maria De Jesus
This course focuses on low-income immigrants and refugee populations in the U.S. and applies a family and community perspective to the study of their health and well-being. A community perspective recognizes the impact of economic, political, and socio-cultural context on health in general, and of inequalities rooted in policies and conditions from the global (e.g. the need for family remittances in the face of poverty) to the local (e.g. access to a livable wage) on the health of immigrant populations in specific. A family centered perspective recognizes the influence of family and cross-generational dynamics in the decision to immigrate and to seek health care, as well as the contribution of grandparents, mothers, fathers, and children to a family’s economic and physical well-being. Both perspectives assume the critical role played by people in determining policies and designing programs that affect their lives. Moreover, we will learn about the importance of adopting a multicultural approach to understanding community problems and assets, and designing and evaluating interventions with ethnically diverse communities.
This course focuses on low-income immigrants and refugee populations in the U.S. and applies a family and community perspective to the study of their health and well-being. A community perspective recognizes the impact of economic, political, and socio-cultural context on health in general, and of inequalities rooted in policies and conditions from the global (e.g. the need for family remittances in the face of poverty) to the local (e.g. access to a livable wage) on the health of immigrant populations in specific. A family centered perspective recognizes the influence of family and cross-generational dynamics in the decision to immigrate and to seek health care, as well as the contribution of grandparents, mothers, fathers, and children to a family’s economic and physical well-being. Both perspectives assume the critical role played by people in determining policies and designing programs that affect their lives. Moreover, we will learn about the importance of adopting a multicultural approach to understanding community problems and assets, and designing and evaluating interventions with ethnically diverse communities.
Race, Class and Power in International and Intercultural Education
SIS 628-011 Amanda Taylor
“International education can as easily be an instrument of antagonism as one of benevolence, one of manipulation as one of cooperation, and it can as easily involve complete isolation as it can constant interchange” (Smart, 1971, 442). In this interactive seminar, we will critically consider the goals, design, and experience of international and intercultural education. Using case studies, this course will examine the role that race, class, and power play in international education and will focus on how identity, institutional biography, and culture structure interpretations and interactions in cross-cultural contexts. Students will gain the frameworks and skills necessary to design and implement culturally-responsive international and intercultural education programs. Designed for prospective international trainers, program managers, and educators, we will focus on the educational arena but this course will be broadly applicable to anyone planning to work in diverse environments.
“International education can as easily be an instrument of antagonism as one of benevolence, one of manipulation as one of cooperation, and it can as easily involve complete isolation as it can constant interchange” (Smart, 1971, 442). In this interactive seminar, we will critically consider the goals, design, and experience of international and intercultural education. Using case studies, this course will examine the role that race, class, and power play in international education and will focus on how identity, institutional biography, and culture structure interpretations and interactions in cross-cultural contexts. Students will gain the frameworks and skills necessary to design and implement culturally-responsive international and intercultural education programs. Designed for prospective international trainers, program managers, and educators, we will focus on the educational arena but this course will be broadly applicable to anyone planning to work in diverse environments.
Cross-Cultural Collaboration in Global Virtual Teams
SIS 628.012/419.010 Derrick Cogburn
This course explores the rapidly expanding practice of geographically distributed collaboration in a diverse set of organizational contexts, including global corporate teams, scientific collaboratories and cyberinfrastructure, eGovernment policy networks, intergovernmental organizations, transnational NGOs, and civil society advocacy networks. Students will build a conceptual framework for understanding the social practices, universal design, and technology infrastructure required to support this new form of organization as well as learning the applied skills for implementing such a project within a diverse set of real organizations (including the United Nations, World Bank, JPMC, APSA, NAOBI, and South Africa).
This course explores the rapidly expanding practice of geographically distributed collaboration in a diverse set of organizational contexts, including global corporate teams, scientific collaboratories and cyberinfrastructure, eGovernment policy networks, intergovernmental organizations, transnational NGOs, and civil society advocacy networks. Students will build a conceptual framework for understanding the social practices, universal design, and technology infrastructure required to support this new form of organization as well as learning the applied skills for implementing such a project within a diverse set of real organizations (including the United Nations, World Bank, JPMC, APSA, NAOBI, and South Africa).
International Communication & Cultural Policy
SIS 645.001 Shalini Venturelli
This course for students and professionals in communication and culture, media, creative arts, public policy and international affairs, explores some of the most important areas of national, comparative and international policy shaping communication and culture in 21st century. The course helps students to develop policy expertise for use in areas such as: press freedoms, media and film policy; Internet policy, new digital media policy, and Internet censorship; intellectual property rights and foreign policy related to trade in cultural products and service; and constitutional rights of freedom of expression in comparative context. Particular emphasis is given to national arts policy and cultural policies that: protect cultural rights of minorities; promote production and dissemination of new creative arts; preserve the national heritage in cultural traditions, national endowments and museums; construct and define national and cultural identity; support and subsidize national cultural industries; apply cultural content quotas; design and implement language policy; and defend cultural sovereignty.
This course for students and professionals in communication and culture, media, creative arts, public policy and international affairs, explores some of the most important areas of national, comparative and international policy shaping communication and culture in 21st century. The course helps students to develop policy expertise for use in areas such as: press freedoms, media and film policy; Internet policy, new digital media policy, and Internet censorship; intellectual property rights and foreign policy related to trade in cultural products and service; and constitutional rights of freedom of expression in comparative context. Particular emphasis is given to national arts policy and cultural policies that: protect cultural rights of minorities; promote production and dissemination of new creative arts; preserve the national heritage in cultural traditions, national endowments and museums; construct and define national and cultural identity; support and subsidize national cultural industries; apply cultural content quotas; design and implement language policy; and defend cultural sovereignty.
Foundations of Public Diplomacy
SIS 419.064 Robert Kelley
This class introduces students at the undergraduate level to public diplomacy, a once-underappreciated but now increasingly vital form of action in world politics. Located at the intersection of politics and communications, public diplomacy has been understood mainly as a tool of statecraft that governments use to inform, influence, and engage with publics abroad in support of policy objectives. However, public diplomacy as a practice has evolved most recently in parallel with today’s robust and highly-complex international communications environment. No longer do governments possess a monopoly on information, and by extension the powers of influence and engagement are spreading rapidly into the public domain. The principal objectives of this course are 1) to expose students to the range of practices incorporated in past and present public diplomacy; 2) to connect students with the leading debates in the study of public diplomacy; and 3) to experiment with tools and build public diplomacy skills by assigning students hands-on projects. Over the course of a semester students shall learn to think strategically about engaging publics and governments for the purpose of influencing politics at and above the state level.
This class introduces students at the undergraduate level to public diplomacy, a once-underappreciated but now increasingly vital form of action in world politics. Located at the intersection of politics and communications, public diplomacy has been understood mainly as a tool of statecraft that governments use to inform, influence, and engage with publics abroad in support of policy objectives. However, public diplomacy as a practice has evolved most recently in parallel with today’s robust and highly-complex international communications environment. No longer do governments possess a monopoly on information, and by extension the powers of influence and engagement are spreading rapidly into the public domain. The principal objectives of this course are 1) to expose students to the range of practices incorporated in past and present public diplomacy; 2) to connect students with the leading debates in the study of public diplomacy; and 3) to experiment with tools and build public diplomacy skills by assigning students hands-on projects. Over the course of a semester students shall learn to think strategically about engaging publics and governments for the purpose of influencing politics at and above the state level.
