Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

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Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

This module will provide students with key theoretical frameworks and contemporary academic critique of the relationships existing between public relations, government and politics. There will be a specific focus on sports-related state level diplomacy, reputation building and soft power, developed through sports branding, PR strategies and diplomacy. This will be countered with the associated ethical concerns of this practice including sportswashing.

The module will provide students with an in-depth knowledge of the practices of political PR strategy for governments, parties, the corporate sector and campaign and activist groups. It will provide them with an in-depth understanding of the critical role of communications in the efficient working of government, and the responsibilities of practitioners. It will provide them with critical insights into the persuasive efforts of marketing by political parties. It will give students a substantive understanding of the ethical challenges of lobbying and public affairs undertaken by firms and interest groups to influence governance, and the scope of lobbying of political parties.

Outline Of Syllabus

The following topics will be developed:
- Politicians and their publics
- Political marketing and branding
- Political media
- Speechwriting and rhetoric
- Government communications
- International relations and soft power
- Ethical considerations of using sport as a tool of soft power including sportswashing
- Political activism, using sportswashing debates as a focus
- Public affairs and lobbying by by business and special interest groups

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

Students successfully completing the module will acquire:
K1. A detailed knowledge of the specialist principles and practices of professional communication within government, and the specialist communicative outputs that governments create for their own publics and internationally.
K2. A detailed knowledge of the specialist principles and practices of marketing by political parties.
K3. An appreciation of the political lobbying strategies undertaken by firms, trade associations and special interest groups, and historical knowledge of key outcomes of those efforts and their significance for governance.
K4. In-depth understanding of extant scholarly debates about how ‘outsider’ groups without easy access to political communication channels express themselves politically.
K5. In-depth understanding of extant scholarly debates about how political communication and political marketing influences democracy.
K6. In-depth understanding of current debates around sports branding as a tool to exert nation building and soft power and the resultant ethical considerations

Intended Skill Outcomes

Students successfully completing the module will acquire the ability to:
S1. Make well-informed judgements about the strategic effectiveness of political public relations efforts by governments, political parties, firms, and interest groups
S2. Compose an informed, scholarly, mature, written critique of political public relations practices, and relate that critique to academic theory and concepts
S3. Integrate their knowledge of academic theory into practice, as political public-relations scholars via a specific speechwriting assessment
S4. Use the most relevant interdisciplinary frameworks in their scholarly critique of the practice of political communication and public relations.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The online non-synchronous learning materials will introduce appropriate academic theories and concepts related to the module topics, which will be supported with examples of historical and contemporary practice. These will present an overview of the key practices, constraints and contingencies of contemporary public relations practice within political communication and public affairs.

These online materials will be expanded upon within scheduled 7 lectures (4 x 2 hours and 3 x 1 hour). Students will engage with the lecturer in the key debates, as a class, and student contributions will be encouraged.

The small-group sessions (7 x 1 hour and 2 x 2hours) will give students a chance to practice their critical skills and to apply their critical knowledge in advance of their assessments. Students will debate the coherence and context of scholarly criticism of the industry, using relevant scholarly and practice articles and contextual case studies. It is expected that all students will contribute to on-campus and online discussions.

These teaching methods will work together so that students learn what best practice currently is in this complex environment of government public relations, and to make reasonable and well-informed arguments for how and why best practice might be improved, tested and implemented.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The assessment method (political speeches followed by critical campaign review) is designed to support students in accomplishing a range of considered, literate, polished work, at a level expected of master’s students. Together, the speeches (with rationale) and review are designed to support students in demonstrating their knowledge of the area (both in-depth and contextualized), and their ability to present a reasoned and critical argument about political public relations practices in writing.

The 2 x 500-word persuasive political speeches will be produced mid-way through the semester. The accompanying 500-word rationale will incorporate research, persuasive reasoning techniques and evidence that supports claims made. This student work should illustrate at a relatively early stage if any particular student is struggling with key aspects of the module, allowing help and advice to be given by the tutor in good time.

The Critical Campaign Review will be due at the end of the module, as the final assessment, using relevant interdisciplinary frameworks in a scholarly critique of public relations practice. This review will showcase the critical abilities of each student, as they conduct research into an existing political campaign, critically analysing and evaluating the effectiveness of their example through the lens of the extant academic literature. The assessment aims for the student to compose an informed, scholarly written critique of political public relations practices.

General Notes

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