Political Communication
COMM 342/642 Fall 2010
Allan D. Louden, louden@wfu.edu
Office Hours: MW 10:30-Noon

Graduate Students supplemental syllabus

TEXTBOOKS:
Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Packaging the Presidency: A History and Criticism of Presidential Campaign Advertising, 3rd Edition;
Thomas Hollihan, Uncivil Wars: Political Campaigns in a Media Age, 2nd Ed

EVALUATION:
Major Research Project, 50% - Final Examination, 35%; Participation, 15%

Final Exam - distributed by Nov 29, Due by Dec. 11

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McCain Cloud

TOPICS AND READINGS

Week 1 - Introduction, Political awareness Quiz

Readings: Jamieson, Packaging the Presidency, 1st third

Week 2 - Topic: Politics as Symbolic Action - Overview

Readings: Jamieson, Packaging the Presidency, 2nd third
Hollihan, Chapter 1
Video: Television and the Presidency (on hold)

Week 3-4 - Topic: Getting Elected Part I - Media & Elections and Getting Elected

Readings: Jamieson, Packaging the Presidency, Last 3rd
Hollihan, Chapter 2
Video - Vote for Me

Week 5-6 - Political Advertising

Video: A number of examples will be presented and critiqued
Holliahan - Chapter 6

Week 7 -- Media Coverage of Campaigns

Video: "Journey's with George"
Hollihan, Chapter 5 ,7

Week 8 - Getting Elected - Part II - New Technologies, & Direct Mail

Video: Movie - "Taking on the Kennedy’s"
Hollihan, Chapter 7

Should have been Midterm Due Oct ? - take home

Week 9- New Technologies and politics on the web

Readings to be sent

Weel 10-11 Political Debates

Hollihan Chapter 9
Video: - doc film on pol debates

Week 12 - Candidate Assessment

Powerpoints

Readings:  Hollihan, Chapter 4
Popkin, S.L. (1991). The Reasoning Voter: Communication and Persuasion in Presidential Campaigns (pp. 72-95).
Louden, A.D., & McCauliff, K. (2004) The “Authentic Candidate”: Extending candidate image assessment. Presidential Candidate Images (pp. 85-103), K. Hacker (Ed.). Praeger.

Week 13 - Consultants

Panel of Political consultants

Week 14 - No class Nov 15 - National Comm Assoc Convention)

we do meet balance of week, Nov 17, 19
Rhetorical Implications

Week 15 - Last week of classes

Report on papers

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