Strategic Communication in International Relations

Study Board of Political Science, Journalism, Sociology, and European Studies

Teaching language: English
EKA: B430013102
Censorship: Second examiner: None
Grading: 7-point grading scale
Offered in: Odense
Offered in: Autumn
Level: Master

Course ID: B430013101
ECTS value: 5

Date of Approval: 13-03-2018


Duration: 1 semester

Course ID

B430013101

Course Title

Strategic Communication in International Relations

Teaching language

English

ECTS value

5

Responsible study board

Study Board of Political Science, Journalism, Sociology, and European Studies

Date of Approval

13-03-2018

Course Responsible

Name Email Department
Chiara de Franco cdf@sam.sdu.dk

Offered in

Odense

Level

Master

Offered in

Autumn

Duration

1 semester

Mandatory prerequisites

None.

Recommended prerequisites

Students need competences in International Relations equal to those acquired in a bachelor degree in political science. Students must be prepared to participate actively in class discussions and group work.

Aim and purpose

Strategic communication has become a popular practice in international politics where diplomats and military staff alike increasingly incorporate communication tools as a deliberate part of their work. This course introduces students to central theoretical debates and practical approaches to strategic communication in international politics. Throughout the course, we develop a communication toolbox that will be applied to different relevant cases, e.g. NATO’s strategic use of communication in military conflicts, the EU’s Eastern enlargement and the Ukraine crisis, Danish nation branding, and the strategic use of disinformation in hybrid warfare by Russia.
The course introduces both theoretical elements from the field of Organizational Communication Studies and from International Relations. This gives the students the necessary knowledge of central concepts that help them analyze different aspects of communication in international politics. Furthermore, a practice-oriented approach will give the students insights into the actual work of military and diplomatic communication practitioners working with current European security dilemmas.

Content

-Strategic communication and strategic narratives
-Soft power
-International politics in a new media ecology
-Communication in warfare (case: NATO)
-Geopolitics as narratives (case: The Ukraine crisis)
-Nation branding and public diplomacy (case: Denmark)
-Disinformation and hybrid threats (case: Russia)
-The Communicative Constitution of Organizations (case: The EU)
-Organizational communication models: E.g. communication as plan, position and practice.

Learning goals

By the end of the semester, the students should be able to:
-Account for the fundamental theoretical implications of a communication perspective to the study of International Relations.
-Discuss the differences between various theoretical, e.g. rationalist and constructivist, approaches to strategic communication.
-Understand the communication models introduced during the course and apply them to illustrative cases.
-Take a critical perspective towards the role that strategic communication plays in current international affairs.

Literature

The course syllabus, together with links to relevant journal articles or e-books, will be available on Blackboard prior to the beginning of the course.

Teaching Method

The course will consist of a mix of lectures, group work, class discussions and individual assignments.
Students will participate based on the assigned readings and from time to time on small case study assignments. The students are therefore expected to come prepared to class. 
8 lectures during fall 2018 comprised by 4 x 2 hours and 4 x 3 hours.

Workload

Lectures 20
Case Study Activities 25
Reading and Preparation 37
Examination 53

Total 135

Examination regulations

Exam

Name

Exam

Timing

Ordinary exam in January, re-examination in February.

Rules

-3 is not allowed

Tests

Take home assignment

Name

Take home assignment

Form of examination

Take-home assignment

Censorship

Second examiner: None

Grading

7-point grading scale

Identification

Student Identification Card - Exam number

Language

English

Duration

53 hours

Length

Max. 8 pages (2,400 key strokes including spaces, appendixes, and notes, but excluding table of content and list of references).

Examination aids

All allowed. Internet access necessary. 

Assignment handover

Via "SDU assignment" on the course page in Blackboard.

Assignment handin

The paper must be handed-in in digital form and submitted via "SDU assignment" on the course page in Blackboard.

ECTS value

5

EKA

B430013102

External comment


The student is automatically registered for the first examination attempt when the student is registered for a course or course element with which one or more examinations are associated. Withdrawal of registration is not possible, and students who fail to participate in an examination have used one examination attempt, unless the University has made an exemption due to special circumstances. 
If a student does not meet the established university prerequisites for taking the exam, he or she has used one examination attempt, unless the University has made an exemption due to special circumstances.

Courses offered

Offer period Offer type Profile Education Semester
Fall 2018 Optional Master in International Security and Law - valid from September 2018 Master of International Security and Law | Master of Science (MSc) in International Security and Law | Odense
Fall 2018 Optional Master in International Security and Law - valid from September 2017 Master of International Security and Law | Master of Science (MSc) in International Security and Law | Odense
Fall 2018 Optional Studieordning for kandidatuddannelsen i statskundskab gældende for studerende optaget efter 1/9-15 Master of Science (MSc) in Political Science | Odense
Fall 2018 Optional Studieordning for kandidatuddannelsen i samfundsfag, centralfag, 2018, ved et sidefag på 75 ECTS: Master of Science (MSc) in Social Sciences | Odense
Fall 2018 Optional Studieordning for kandidatuddannelsen i samfundsfag, centralfag, 2018, ved et sidefag på 45 ECTS, for studerende der har haft Economic Principles (soc) eller tilsvarende på deres bacheloruddannelse Master of Science (MSc) in Social Sciences | Odense
Fall 2018 Optional Studieordning for kandidatuddannelsen i samfundsfag, centralfag, 2018, ved et sidefag på 75 ECTS, for studerende der har haft Economic Principles (soc) eller tilsvarende på deres bacheloruddannelse Master of Science (MSc) in Social Sciences | Odense
Fall 2018 Optional Studieordning for kandidatuddannelsen i samfundsfag, centralfag, 2018, ved et sidefag på 45 ECTS Master of Science (MSc) in Social Sciences | Odense

Teachers

Name Email Department City
Gry Waagner Falkenstrøm gwf@sam.sdu.dk

URL for Skemaplan