Courses

Basic principles and policies of public relations and advertising; includes history, development, ethics, roles, functions, media selection methods, and message strategies of public relations.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Review the theoretical foundations of public relations by studying rhetorical theory, resource dependency theory, stakeholder theory, persuasion theory and agenda setting theory.
• Study cases which help us understand various successful and poor public relations campaigns and tactics.
• Use theoretical concepts to gain insights into PR campaigns and public events
• Develop professional-level writing skills required in the practice of public relations and become familiar with the rhetorical and communication theories and practices governing writing techniques.

Media in the US have tended to present the Middle East in a negative light casting Muslim majority countries as static, violent, undemocratic and sexist. This course will critically analyze racial and religious stereotypes and caricatures by foregrounding the rich and complex history of interaction between the West and the Near East. While the course begins in 7th century, the emphasis will be on popular discourse in the United States over the last half century. We will study films, news media reports, television shows, video games and range of other outlets through which our understanding of the Middle East is mediated. 

Note: Students who completed Islam, Media, and the Western Imagination (04:567:365) in prior years cannot enroll in this course for credit.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Access information and distinguish between facts and prejudice. Students will learn that images and stereotypes of the Middle East and of Muslim majority countries in the West are rooted in political and historical relationships.
• Think critically about simplistic caricatures and methods of storytelling related to the Middle East and Muslim majority countries. This will enable students who wish to be journalists, film makers, television producers, educators or otherwise involved in the process of image making to construct more complex and nuanced narratives.