Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor
Dr. Li Ji
Contact via li.ji@mq.edu.au
264, Y3A
1-2pm Wednesdays or by appointment
Lecturer
Professor Naren Chitty
160, Y3A
|
---|---|
Credit points |
Credit points
4
|
Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to MIntComm or MIntRel or MIntCommMIntRel or MIntBusMIntComm or MIntPubDip or GradDipIntRel
|
Corequisites |
Corequisites
|
Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
Unit description |
Unit description
The unit provides theoretical frameworks and practical learning exercises for image analysis and construction by international actors – intergovernmental, state, corporate and non-government. The concepts of symbolic interactionism, soft power, public diplomacy, international public relations, framing, image and branding are examined from strategic and ethical communication perspectives. Theory is related to practice through analysis of existing international public relations campaigns and the design of new ones. Through weekly simulations of press conferences regarding current events, students develop practical skills in analysing strategic opportunities for presenting their organisation to publics.
|
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Name | Weighting | Due |
---|---|---|
Task 1 Frame Analysis | 20% | 6 September (Week 6) |
Task 2 Critical Essay | 30% | Week 12 or Week 13 |
Task 3 Individual Presentation | 20% | Week 12 or Week 13 |
Task 4 Participation | 30% | Ongoing |
Due: 6 September (Week 6)
Weighting: 20%
Use framing analysis to analyse Country A's national image in media discourse in Country B or international media discourse.
The objective of the assignment is to analyse and evaluate two main theories (image and framing), and apply an analytical tool (framing analysis) to analyse national image in media discourse.
Specific requirements for this essay:
1. Review the notions of national image and framing theory
2. Select 8-10 news articles from two mainstream media in Country B or global dominant media (e.g. BBC, CNN)
3. Apply framing analysis to analyse the selected news articles
4. Discuss the findings or frames of Country A's image in the analysis
Word limit: 1000 words (exclusive of references)
Due in Week 6 (6 September)
Assessment Criteria are:
1. Sophisticated analysis and evaluation of the international public relations concepts (image and framing)
2. Correct application of the research method for the analysis of media discourse
3. Sound interpretation of research findings
4. Clear and well-organised essay structure, and consistent referencing including in-text citations
5. Concise and efficient writing skills
Due: Week 12 or Week 13
Weighting: 30%
Option A
The objective of the assignment is to research, describe, analyse and evaluate an international public relations/public diplomacy campaign. Analyse a specific international public relations/public diplomacy campaign by a state, a Non-Government Organisation or a large business operating internationally. This is essentially an exercise in analysis. You may consider questions such as What was the campaign and what did the actor hope to achieve? What did it do and why? What were the obstacles and the advantages it had? Was it successful? Why or why not? Could it have been improved? How? Make sure that your topic is relevant to the course; if you have any doubts, ask me.
Remember it must have the following features:
* It must be an international campaign. i.e. the PR campaigner’s target audience should not be its own domestic audience. The audience should be outside the campaigning institution’s own national borders. Such audiences could include members of diasporas. The campaign must have been commissioned by a government, government agency, intergovernmental organisation, nongovernmental organisation or large business; It must be a specific campaign conducted for a specific purpose at a specific time; It must be a public relations or soft public diplomacy exercise, not a hard diplomacy or behind-closed doors diplomatic one, the latter being more relevant to international relations.
* Relate what you say about this specific case to some of the general theory that we have discussed in class. In other words, what wider lessons can we learn from this case study and/or how does theory illuminate your case study? Most people do what is, in effect, a case study, so make sure that your conclusion sets out what you think your case study tells us about international public relations and/or public diplomacy in general: What can we learn from this case study? Pay attention to structure, logical flow and conclusions which flow from what you have analysed. You will find that the use of headings helps your setting out because it forces you into some kind of structure. Make sure your conclusion follows from your argument. The most common mistakes students make are: poor structure; too much description and not enough analysis; the conclusion is too general and/or does not follow from the argument in the paper.
Word limit: 2,000 words (exclusive of references)
Due in Week 12 (1 November) & Week 13 (8 November) by arrangement (Week 13 if your presentation is in Week 12 and week 12 if your presentation is in Week 13).
Assessment Criteria are:
1. Research skills and application
2. Analyse and evaluate an existing campaign using theoretical models
3. Originality of, and rigorous argumentation about, their campaign recommendations
4. Style of writing and grammatical skills
Option B
The objective of the assignment is to write a review article for The Journal of International Communication.
You will need to select three or four articles (chapters) from unit readings, read them carefully, summarise them (in terms of propositions, methods, findings, conclusions) and subject them to a critical (weaknesses), comparative discussion (commonalities, differences, resonances with other literature, innovativeness) and synthesise new knowledge. The highest quality review articles will produce new insights, begin to develop new frameworks, and point to new directions for further inquiry. Provide an introduction, summary of each article, critical comparative discussion and a conclusion.
Word limit: 2,000 words (exclusive of references)
Due in Week 12 (1 November) & Week 13 (8 November) by arrangement (Week 13 if your presentation is in Week 12 and week 12 if your presentation is in Week 13).
Assessment Criteria are:
1. Succinct summary of articles (in terms of propositions, methods, findings, conclusions)
2. Critical analysis of articles
3. Inclusion and discussion of appropriate literature in the field
4. Innovative and original arguments about the articles
5. Writing style and grammatical skills
Due: Week 12 or Week 13
Weighting: 20%
The objective of this assignment is to develop and present a creative international public relations/public diplomacy campaign to promote an issue or image for an international client who might be an individual, corporation, NGO, government or IGO for whom international image is important. This differs from assignment 3(Option A) in that now you are presenting your own campaign instead of criticising that of someone else. It is a sales pitch, not an academic paper, but needs to be well researched. You present your campaign proposal to your prospective client. Remember that you must identify and describe who you are – that is your PR agency and who your prospective client is. For instance, if Australia is experiencing an image problem in Indonesia, your prospective client may be the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. You need to analyse the client’s image problem and the specific audience in the country where the image problem exists. Saying ‘people of Indonesia’ will not suffice. Use Diffusion Theory to analyse the audience strategically and identify opinion leaders. Remember it must be an international campaign (e.g. Australian campaign in Indonesia), not a domestic one (e.g.Australian campaign in Australia). It can be public relations, public diplomacy or advertising but it must be a specific campaign.
10 mts. plus 7 Powerpoint slides, one containing references.
You need to record your oral presentation and upload the recording on iLearn or send the recording to the unit convenor, and also you need to submit the Powerpoint on Turnitin by the due dates.
If you are in Week 12 for your presentation, your due date for Assignment 3 will be in Week 13 (8 November). If you are in Week 13 for your presentation, your due date for Assignment 3 will be in Week 12 (1 November).
Assessment Criteria are:
1. Demonstrate appropriate and independent research
2. Identify and describe actors
3. Contextualise the actor's image problem
4. Application of Diffusion Theory to analyse the target audience and opinion leaders
5. Design of a new campaign strategy
6. Effectiveness of PPT slides
7. Succinctness of the delivery of the campaign pitch
Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 30%
The two-hour seminar requires you to contribute to the content of topics in this unit. You need to play an active role in doing research on each topic and sharing academic references as well as leading robust discussions on the assigned questions of each topic through your research.
Online participation is the main method for assessment. It consists of three parts: 1) research on assigned questions for topics including providing relevant academic references and share your research on forum; 2) discussions about the assigned questions for each topic; 3) discussions about current international affairs, which are similar to the simulation topics designed for internal students.
Questions and topics in relation to international affairs will be posted on Forum on iLearn one week before each seminar. Please check requirements for each weekly task on iLearn. You are required to complete the weekly task before each seminar to make sure that your answers can be synchronously shared with other external students and internal students in class. If there are any technical difficulties, you are allowed to complete the weekly tasks once you are able to access the Internet. However, all the weekly tasks are required to be completed. You are also required to respond to your peers' discussion on the weekly topics prior to the posting of the next weekly task.
The participation/contribution grade is based on the content, depth and quality of your completion of the weekly tasks (initial posting content) and contributions to the forum discussions (follow-up posts) using the standards specified in the assessment criteria. Participating consistently, with thoughtful answers to the assigned questions, and responding to, and engaging in discussion with your peers will have positive effects on your overall grade. The participation will be assessed using a rubric. Please find the rubric on iLearn.
Assessment Criteria are:
1. Demonstrates adequate research on the assigned questions of each topic
2. Demonstrates proper understanding of assigned topics and critical thinking through application of module content (i.e. from reading material and/or ppt content), and content outside of the course
3. Demonstrates research skills in public diplomacy affairs
4. Demonstrates originality and engagement in postings
5. Contributes to online ongoing discussions by providing well-written commentaries on questions and thoughtful and supportive response messages to classmates on Forum
6. Meets deadlines for submitting commentaries on assigned questions (initial postings) and response messages to peers (follow up posts)
CLASSES
SEMINAR 1: Tuesday 11:00am-1:00pm
SEMINAR 2: Tuesday 2:00pm-4:00pm
TECHNOLOGY USED AND REQUIRED
Online units can be accessed at iLearn: http://ilearn.mq.edu.au
iLearn is the main platform for material sharing, communication and assignment submission.
PC and Internet access are required. Basic computer skills (e.g., Internet browsing) and skills in word processing are also a requirement. Please consult teaching staff for any further, more specific requirements.
TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGY
Theory is related to practice through analysis of existing international public relations/public diplomacy campaigns and the design of new ones. Through weekly discussion of current international affairs and review of the publicity of the affairs, students develop practical skills in analysing strategic opportunities for presenting their organisation to publics.
To complete the readings is vitally important in order to benefit from the unit to the fullest extent. It is recommended that you read the articles listed for online discussion before each seminar and discuss them on iLearn Forum.
REQUIRED READING AND RECOMMENDED TEXTS AND/OR MATERIALS
Required readings
Please refer to unit schedule and iLearn for the reading list; Electronic copies of the readings can be found on e-Reserve on the university library website.
Recommended readings
More reading materials will be uploaded on iLearn.
Week 1 (2 Aug)
|
World-making and news values In this seminar we will firstly give a brief introduction to the field of International Communication and a few core concepts in relation to public diplomacy. Then we will understand how news agencies represent the world. Note: No online discussion topics assigned this week. You are required to login iLearn and introduce yourself (e.g., 100 word biodata about yourself) on Forum. The instructions of assessment tasks will be posted on iLearn. You can raise questions regarding assessment tasks and the course outline on Forum. READINGS
|
Week 2 (9 Aug)
|
The world in our heads In this session will concentrate on the theory of symbolic interactionism to understand how we interact and construct the social world. READINGS
|
Week 3 (16 Aug)
|
Image and frames Based on symbolic interactionism theory, we will continue to explore the concepts of images and frames. READINGS
|
Week 4 (23 Aug)
|
Actors, skills, venues, and transactions In this session, we will focus on the actors and skills in public diplomacy. READINGS
|
Week 5 (30 Aug)
|
Public opinion and the ‘global public sphere’ This session will introduce Habermas' concept of the public sphere in global context, and understand how the public diplomats influence public opinion in the global public sphere. READINGS
|
Week 6 (6 Spet)
|
Strategic and dialogic communication This session is dedicated to two communication approaches in public diplomacy approaches. READINGS
|
Week 7 (13 Sept)
|
Soft power and leadership (guest lecture: TBA) This session will concentrate on soft power and leadership. READINGS
|
|
MIDDLE SEMESTER BREAK (19 September to 30 September) |
Week 8 (4 Oct)
|
Public diplomacy and international public relations (guest lecture:TBA) This week is dedicated to public diplomacy and international public relations. An experienced diplomat or former diplomat will be invited to give a guest lecture. READINGS
|
Week 9 (11 Oct)
|
Diasporic communication This session will introduce diaspora and diasporic communication. READINGS
|
Week 10 (18 Oct)
|
Media and foreign policy (guest lecture: TBA) This session aims to explore the role of media in foreign policy. READINGS
|
Week 11 (25 Oct)
|
· Guest Lecture: Soft Power and Public Diplomacy Practices (TBA) |
Week 12 (1 Nov)
|
· Assignment 3 - Individual presentations · Week 13 presenters submit Assignment 2 by Tuesday |
Week 13 (8 Nov)
|
· Assignment 3 - Individual presentations · Week 12 presenters submit Assignment 2 by Tuesday |
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
New Assessment Policy in effect from Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html. For more information visit http://students.mq.edu.au/events/2016/07/19/new_assessment_policy_in_place_from_session_2/
Assessment Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html
Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
Additional Information
MMCCS Session Re-mark Application http://www.mq.edu.au/pubstatic/public/download/?id=167914
Information is correct at the time of publication
For a full list of minimum requirements to include, please refer to: http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/unit_guide/policy.html
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues
This graduate capability is supported by:
No Hard Copy submissions, all the assignments will be submitted to Turnitin on iLearn.
Information about how to submit work online can be accessed through the iLearn unit.
Return of marked work
During semester, marked work will be returned to students via Turnitin on iLearn.
Late Submissions
No extensions will be granted. Students who submit late work without an extension will receive a penalty of 10% per day. This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for Disruptions of Studies is made and approved.
Assessment tasks are aligned to the unit Learning Outcomes. Timely submission of assessment tasks is a unit requirement or penalties apply. 10% per day (including weekends) will be deducted for all late submissions unless Disruption to Studies (including a request for an extension) is approved.
You are required to participate in all online discussions. As participation in the process of learning is linked to and underpins the unit Learning Outcomes, you will need to either apply for Disruptions to Studies to cover any missed online discussion participation (if the disruption is greater than three consecutive days) or supply appropriate documentation to your unit convenor for any missed online discussion participation (if less than three consecutive days).