Course No. : PPS 109 : Strategic Communication for Public Policy No. of Credits : 2 Time allotted for Lectures/activities : 28 hours

Transcription

1 Course No. : PPS 109 Course Title : Strategic Communication for Public Policy No. of Credits : 2 Time allotted for Lectures/activities : 28 hours Course outline Strategic communication is integral to the public policy process. Public policy caters to various stakeholders and invites their participation as listeners, observers, and as active civic citizens. This course focuses on communicating public policy effectively, and understanding the actors that drive communication in the public sphere and hence modulate public perception. Participants on this course will take away lessons from across the world on effective strategic communication, understand the making and un-making of government and political news and comprehend the new tools of the trade. They will learn to orient their policy communication toward effective message management, strategically interact across stakeholder groups and accurately perceive the media landscape. Evaluation Minor test 20% Midterm examination 30% End-term examination 50% Course content and allotted time Time allotted Module Lecture Activity* Module 1 : Strategic Communication in the Public Sphere 2 1 Module 2: Governments and Public Policy News Management 2 3 Module 3: Understanding Media: Agenda Setting, Framing and Controversy 2 3 Module 4: Communication Models 2 3 Module 5: Communicating in the age of the Internet 2 3 Module 6: Learning from best practice: Case Studies 2 3 Total hours = 12 16

2 * Activities include engaging with multi-media samples, real world examples from India and other countries and practical group work. MODULE DESCRIPTION Module 1: Strategic Communication in the Public Sphere What are the various modes of communication and how do they impact various publics? How can the mode of interaction be made more actionable, more strategic, to influence people and effect better implementation of policies? This module provides an overview of the global understanding of what strategic communication means. Module 2: Governments and Public Policy News Management The three elements of public policy are: the problem, the policy and the process. Making a policy means first ascertaining whether a problem exists and then deciding how to solve it for the benefit of society or environment. How can governments improve the linkages between these three elements some key principles and practices will be discussed. Module 3: Understanding Media: Agenda Setting, Framing and Controversy Which actors disseminate information about policymaking and government activities? How do news media set the agenda and create public perception and impact various interest groups? Understanding these concepts as well as ways to manage media reputation, and controversial situations is key to communicating strategically. Module 4: Communication Models What are the various communication models developed over time that have been effective for governments worldwide? This module will also touch upon issues related to cultural and public diplomacy, communicating with non-profits, ethics in communication and deploying effective marketing techniques. Module 5: Communicating in the age of the Internet New media has transformed the manner in which people access and consume information. What implications does the rise of the Internet, communication model of infotainment, social media

3 and citizen journalism have for public institutions? How can their potential for democracy and instantaneous social influence be harnessed effectively? Module 6: Learning from best practice: Case Studies This module will focus on case studies from across the world, including larger intergovernmental organisations such as UNICEF, to understand real life instances of strategic communication and gain insight into what worked and what did not. Since participants themselves are privy to experiences as practitioners, they are encouraged to bring and share their own case studies. Suggested readings/bibliography: (1) Hallahan, Kirk, Derina Holtzhausen, Betteke Van Ruler, Dejan Verčič, and Krishnamurthy Sriramesh. "Defining strategic communication." International Journal of Strategic Communication 1, no. 1 (2007): (2) Sandhu, Swaran. "Strategic communication: An institutional perspective." International Journal of Strategic Communication 3, no. 2 (2009): (3) Bardach, Eugene. A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem Solving. Second ed. CQ Press, (4) Kingdon, John W., and James A. Thurber. Agendas, alternatives, and public policies. Vol. 45. Boston: Little, Brown, (5) Stone, Deborah. Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision Making, Rev.ed. New York: WW Norton & Company, (6) Baumgartner, Frank R. and Bryan D. Jones, Policy Dynamics (The University of Chicago Press, 2002) (7) Weaver, David H. "Thoughts on agenda setting, framing, and priming." Journal of communication 57, no. 1 (2007): (8) Iyengar, Shanto, and Adam Simon. "News Coverage of the Gulf Crisis and Public Opinion A Study of Agenda-Setting, Priming, and Framing." Communication research 20, no. 3 (1993):

4 (9) Shaw, Donald L., and Shannon E. Martin. "The function of mass media agenda setting." Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 69, no. 4 (1992): (10) Cook, Fay Lomax, Tom R. Tyler, Edward G. Goetz, Margaret T. Gordon, David Protess, Donna R. Leff, and Harvey L. Molotch. "Media and agenda setting: Effects on the public, interest group leaders, policy makers, and policy." Public Opinion Quarterly 47, no. 1 (1983): (11) Manheim, Jarol B., and Robert B. Albritton. "Changing national images: International public relations and media agenda setting." The American Political Science Review (1984): (12) Castells, Manuel. "The culture of real virtuality: The integration of electronic communication, the end of the mass audience, and the rise of interactive networks." The Rise of the Network Society: With a New Preface, Volume I, Second edition With a new preface (2010): (13) Corman, Steven R., Angela Trethewey, and H. Lloyd Goodall, eds. Weapons of mass persuasion: Strategic communication to combat violent extremism. Vol. 15. Peter Lang, (14) Bennett, W. Lance, and Robert M. Entman, eds. Mediated politics: Communication in the future of democracy. Cambridge University Press, (15) Dahlgren, Peter. "The public sphere and the net: Structure, space, and communication." Mediated politics: Communication in the future of democracy (2001): (16) Argenti, Paul A., Robert A. Howell, and Karen A. Beck. "The strategic communication imperative." MIT Sloan Management Review 46, no. 3 (2005): (17) Halloran, Richard. "Strategic communication." Parameters 37, no. 3 (2007): 4. (18) Pfetsch, Barbara. Government news management-strategic communication in comparative perspective. No. FS III , (19) Goodall, Bud, Angela Trethewey, and Kelly McDonald. "Strategic ambiguity, communication, and public diplomacy in an uncertain world: Principles and practices." Consortium for Strategic Communication, Arizona State University (2006): 1-14.

5 (20) Wiggill, Marlene N. "Strategic communication management in the non profit sector: a simplified model." Journal of Public Affairs 11, no. 4 (2011): (21) Blake, Allison, Kathy Bonk, Daniel Heimpel, and Cathy S. Wright. "Effective communications strategies: engaging the media, policymakers, and the public." Child welfare 92, no. 2 (2013). (22) Zerfaß, Ansgar, and Simone Huck. "Innovation, communication, and leadership: New developments in strategic communication." International Journal of Strategic Communication 1, no. 2 (2007): (23) Mahoney, James. "Horizons in strategic communication: Theorising a paradigm shift." International Journal of Strategic Communication 5, no. 3 (2011): (24) Gregory, Bruce. "Public diplomacy and strategic communication: Cultures, firewalls, and imported norms." In American Political Science Association Conference on International Communication and Conflict. Washington, DC, George Washington University (25) Botan, Carl. "Ethics in strategic communication campaigns: The case for a new approach to public relations." Journal of Business Communication 34, no. 2 (1997): (26) Lewis, Bobbi Kay, and Cynthia Nichols. "Attitudes and perceptions about Social Media among college students and professionals involved and not involved in strategic communications." Social Media: Usage and Impact (2011): 129. (27) Deephouse, David L. "Media reputation as a strategic resource: An integration of mass communication and resource-based theories." Journal of management 26, no. 6 (2000): (28) Strategic communication for behaviour and social change in South Asia. United Nations Children's Fund, Regional Office for South Asia, 2005.