COMM 3411 - The New Journalism

Arts & Sciences Department
As a result of technological developments in the 21st century, human beings have easy access to more ideas and information than ever before. The problem is that we also have unprecedented access to false information, ushering in an era of “fake news” in which the ethics and intentions of journalists across the spectrum are questioned relentlessly. In this course, students will examine current media practices and evaluate how the internet, social media, and related technologies have come to influence what we perceive as knowledge. Topics addressed include a study of the First Amendment, the history of journalism, and the role journalists play in a democratic society. Students will study a wide array of influential journalists, including Joseph Mitchell, Hannah Arendt, Edward R. Murrow, James Baldwin, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, Joan Didion, and Barbara Ehrenreich.
credit(s): 3
Prerequisite(s): ENGL 1100