Master in Social Communication COURSE PLAN Name of the Course: Ethics and Communication Code of the Course: 31761 Term: 1st Tipology: Optional Number of Credits: 5 ECTS Teaching Language/s: Dr. Marcel Mauri de los Rios, will teach in Catalan Teaching Staff: Marcel Mauri de los Rios 1. Overview This course is part of the block on trends in communication research. It addresses the various aspects of communication ethics from an eclectic perspective, as understood from different points of view. The course does not provide any absolutist ethical foundation. Therefore, it does not have a moral basis in any monolithic belief system, but will try to explain and take into account different ways of grounding the behaviour of communication professionals. In addition, the course will be open to the standard modes of deontological communication existing in the world: journalism, advertising, public relations and entertainment. The course will have two parts: in the first, there will be a theoretical approach to the basic concepts of the ethics of communication in contemporary society. In the second, we will explore different methodologies of communication research (quantitative and qualitative) that are currently used in ethics and communication research.
2. Learning Outcomes 2.1General Competencies Mastering the methods and techniques of research in the social sciences and humanities applied to new objects in the field of communication, through the systematic collection and analysis of data. Making critical judgments about diverse methodologies and approaches to communication using knowledge acquired during the course. Presenting and defending your own research work, showing that your research is original and meets the requirements of academic ethics. Evaluating one s own and others conclusions using scientific tools and through participation in discussions and seminars. We shall use criteria of scientific and methodological rigor for an appropriate choice of topic and approach to the design of the research process, object of study, goals, research questions and choice of specific research techniques based on the stated criteria. Keeping abreast of the state of the art in the research fields on which the UPF Communication Department focuses. Individual student research should be related to the Department s main lines of research. 2.2 Subject-Related Competencies 1. Understanding and analyzing the values and characteristics, conventions and standards of ethical communication. 2. Associating these values and norms with legal regulation on these matters. 3. Knowing the main aspects of the ethics of communication today. 4. Showing the ability to make critical judgments about the ethical conduct of the media and apply self-regulatory rules in case studies. 5. Understanding and being able to apply different methodologies and research communication techniques adapted to ethics research.
3. Contents Programme 1. Communication ethics and information ethics. Foundations of professional deontology. History of the ethics of communication and historical development of analytical methodologies. 2. Ethics and law. Information as a human right. The concept of the common good. Research on the limits between regulation and selfregulation. Communication and public service. Persuasion in communication. The ethical limits between fiction and reality. 3. Main traditional mechanisms of self-regulation in communication. Transparency and accountability in communication. New trends in self-regulation and interaction with the public (Web 2.0). Research methods and analysis of these conventional and modern instruments. 4. Techniques of quantitative and qualitative research in communication applied to the study of the ethics of communication. Thesaurus of traditional values: truth, justice, freedom and responsibility. The follow-up study on the ethical values of professionals and the general population. 4. Evaluation Activity Percentage of Final Grade Group activities (20%) Participation (30%) Individual Activities (50%) and Presentations TOTAL 100 Individual activities and presentations (50%) These activities include work and individual presentations made in class about the study and research of the different traditional and innovative mechanisms of self-regulation. We also evaluate the presentations made in class about case studies. The student will have to submit a written report about a case study.
Participation in discussions and seminars (30%) Active participation in seminar sessions is particularly valued. The contributions that students make in the case studies will also be greatly appreciated. Group work (20%) The assessment for this type of activity will focus on the final work done by groups of three where everyone has to prepare and submit a global map of site communication ethics. 5. References and Resources 5.1. Core Bibliography ALSIUS, Salvador (1998): Ètica i periodisme. Barcelona: Pòrtic. AZNAR, Hugo (2005): Ética de la comunicación y nuevos retos sociales. Códigos y recomendaciones para los medios. Barcelona: Paidós. EBERWEIN, T.; FENGLER, S.; LAUK, E.; LEPPIK (eds.) (2010): Mapping Media-Accountability in Europe and Beyond. Cologne: Herbert Von Halem Verlag. WILKINS, L.; CHRISTIANS, C.G. (2009). The Handbook of Mass Media Ethics. Nova York: Routledge. 5.2. Further Reading ALSIUS, Salvador (1999): Codis ètics del periodisme televisiu. Barcelona: Pòrtic. BAKER S., MARTINSON, D.L. (2001): The TARES Test: Five principles for Ethical Persuasion, in Journal of Mass Media Ethics No. 16, pp. 148-175. BOOTH, WAYNE C. (2005): Las compañías que elegimos: una ética de la ficción. Mexico: Fondo de Cultura Económica.
BETTETINI, Gianfranco; FUMAGALLI, Armando (2001): Lo que queda de los medios. Ideas para una ética de la comunicación. Barañain, Pamplona: EUNSA (Ediciones Universidad de Navarra). CODINA, Mónica (ed.) (2001): De la ética desprotegida. Ensayos sobre deontología de la comunicación. Barañain, Pamplona: EUNSA. CONILL, Jesús / GOZÁLVEZ, Vicent (eds.) (2004): Ética de los medios. Una apuesta por la ciudadanía audiovisual. Barcelona: Gedisa. COSTA, Joan (1992): Reinventar la publicidad. Reflexiones desde las ciencias sociales. Madrid: Fundesco. DURANDIN, Guy (1990): La mentira en la propaganda política y en la publicidad. Barcelona: Paidós. European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA) (1997): La guía de autorregulación de EASA. Brussels: EASA. European Advertising Tripartite (EAT) (1992): Advertising and Self- Regulation. Brussels: EAT. FUNDACIÓN COSO (2007): La ética y el derecho de la información en los tiempos del postperiodismo. Valencia. Fundación COSO (proceedings of the conference by the same title). KEEBLE, RICHARD (2009): Ethics for Journalists. London-New York: Routledge. LEMA, D; CARLOS I GOMEZ, J (1995): Código de publicidad. Madrid: Marcial Pons. MESSINA, A. (2007): Public Relations, the Public Interest and Persuasion: An Ethical Approach, in Journal of Communication Management, Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 29-52. PÉREZ FUENTES, Juan Carlos (2004): Ética periodística. Principios, códigos deontológicos y normas complementarias. Servicio Editorial de la Universidad del País Vasco. Plaisance, P.L. (2009). Media Ethics. Key Principles for Responsible Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
PRATKANIS, A.R., ARONSON, E. (2001): Age of Propaganda: The Everyday Use and Abuse of Persuasion. Nova York: Henry Holt and Company. REARDON, K.K. (1991): La Persuasión en la Comunicación: Teoría y Contexto. Mexico: Paidós. SANTAELLA, Manuel (1989): El nuevo derecho de la publicidad. Madrid: Civitas. SUÁREZ VILLEGAS, Juan Carlos (ed.) (1999): Medios de comunicación y autocontrol. Entre la ética y el derecho. Alcalá de Guadaira (Sevilla): MAD. WELLS, W., BURNETT, J., MORIARTY, S. (1996): Publicidad. Principios y prácticas. Mexico: Prentice Hall Hispanoamericana. YANESA, Rafael (2006): Límites éticos del mensaje persuasivo, in Zer, No. 20, pp. 57-69. VV.AA. (2010): The Ethical Values of Journalists: Field Research among Media Professionals in Catalonia. Lexikon Collection. Barcelona: Generalitat de Catalunya. 5.3. Other Resources (on-line journals, websites, databases, etc.) International Journalists' Network. http://www.icfj.org/ [retrieved April 2013] Journalism Ethics (Wisconsin University) http://www.journalismethics.ca/global_journalism_ethics/index.htm Media Ethics Magazine: http://www.mediaethicsmagazine.com/ Ethics on the World Wide Web (School of Communications at California State University, Fullerton). http://commfaculty.fullerton.edu/lester/ethics/codes.html
Consell de la Informació de Catalunya (Catalan Press Council) www.periodistes.org/fcic Consell de l'audiovisual de Catalunya (CAC) - (Catalan Audiovisual Council). www.gencat.es/cac Col legi Professional de l Audiovisual de Catalunya (Association of Audiovisual Professionals of Catalonia). www.cpac.cat [retrieved April 2013] Spanish press associations: Cantabria: http://www.aprensa-cantabria.org/ Seville: http://www.asociacionprensa.org/ Madrid: http://www.apmadrid.es/ Sala de Prensa (journalism magazine). http://www.saladeprensa.org/ Asociación de Usuarios de la Comunicación (Communication Users Association). www.auc.es Asociación para la Autorregulación de la Comunicación Comercial (Autocontrol). (Association for Self-regulation of Commercial Communication) www.aap.es EthicsWeb. http://www.ethicsweb.ca/books/index-media.htm Adbusters. www.adbusters.com Journalism Research Group at UPF: www.eticaperiodistica.org 6. Methodology The learning process will be supported by: - Lecture classes
- Seminars focused on individual and team research result presentations. - Tutorial sessions given in person by the tutor and supported by email and the UPF intranet resources. - Case studies for the students to delve into the concepts explained in the classes and seminars by applying them to real data The course will be divided into: - Activities in the classroom: these activities combine teacher explanations with case studies and student presentations. - Activities outside the classroom: these include group work, preparation of individual work and tracking tutoring research.
7. Activities program WEEK 1 Presentation and introduction Unit 1: Theoretical approach to ethics and communication ethics - Presentation of the issue WEEK 2 Unit 1: Theoretical approach to ethics and communication ethics - Presentation of the issue - Group analysis of the methodology of ethical classification WEEK 3 Unit 2: Ethics and Law - Presentation of the issue - Working group: preparation for the next seminar WEEK 4 Unit 3: Regulation vs. Selfregulation: Traditional instruments and methods of research and analysis - Presentation of the issue - Group work: preparation and presentation of a mapping instrument Reading Reading
WEEK 5 Unit 3: Regulation vs. Selfregulation. Modern instruments and methods of research and analysis - Presentation of the issue - Group work: preparation and presentation of a mapping instrument WEEK 6 Unit 4. The principle of truthfulness and its analysis methods - Individual presentations - Case Study WEEK 7 Unit 4. The principle of freedom and its analysis methods - Individual presentations - Case Study WEEK 8 Unit 4. The principle of justice and its analysis methods - Individual presentations - Case Study WEEK 9
Unit 4. The principle of responsibility and its analysis methods - Individual presentations - Case Study WEEK 10 Unit 4. Professional and public perceptions of ethical values - Analysis of the proposed methodology - Case Study Preparing a case study.