Readings for Jan. 26

I will give you a complete reading list and syllabus when we meet Jan. 26. I typically post the readings for each week on the blog. This makes it easier for you because many of the readings are linked online and also because our readings will be supplemented throughout the semester with very current material from the news. I also provide discussion questions.

Readings without links are on Blackboard.



Jan. 26 – Theoretical foundations.

We will survey a group of key thinkers about the information society, many from more than 50 years ago, and consider whether their ideas are still relevant. We will also make ourselves familiar with some basic ideas in strategic communication that will guide us throughout the semester (strategy, tactics, publics, issues).

Everyone in class will read a few key readings, then we will break into groups. The groups will each discuss their readings for the class.

Everyone read the following:

• The Wikipedia page for The Information Society (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_society). 
• Botan, Carl. (2006). Grand Strategy, Strategy, and Tactics in Public Relations. In C. H. Botan & V. Hazleton (Eds.), Public Relations Theory II (pp. 223-247). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
• Questions to consider:
• What are the four models of grand strategy identified by Botan?
• Can you think of an example of an organization that uses a resistant or intransigent grand strategy?
• What is the relationship of grand strategy to strategy and of strategy to tactics?
• What is a public? What is an issue?
• What is the life cycle of an issue? 

For the next readings we will break into groups. Each group will only read one set of readings. In class the group members will be called upon to discuss what they read. This acquaints us with a broader range of theorists about the Information Society.

The Information Society readings

Group 1 (Bugatti, Cate, Dawson, Divinagracia, Ekhaml, Florance)

• Webster, Frank. (1996). The Information Society as Post-Industrialism: Daniel Bell. In Theories of The Information Society (pp. 30-51). New York: Routledge.
• Daniel Bell’s obituary in the Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/26/AR2011012608911.html
• Questions to consider:
• What does Daniel Bell’s post-industrial society look like?
• What is technological determinism? (Look this up. I would like to talk a bit about this idea.)
• Give an example of technological determinist thinking.

Group 2 (Fraioli, Golvala, Gomez, Grace, Hamilton, Kirchner)

• Webster, Frank. (1996). Information, the Nation State and Surveillance: Anthony Giddens. In Theories of The Information Society (pp. 52-73). New York: Routledge.
• Questions to consider:
• What does Anthony Giddens focus on?
• For social life to work, what does Giddens say we require? (p. 54)
• What is the role of the nation state in Giddens’ ideas?
• What are some of the dangers of surveillance?
• What is the panopticon? (You can also look this up online. It is very interesting.)

Group 3 (Kirk, Larrinaga, Lieberman, Marks, McGlauflin, Miano)

• Webster, Frank. (1996). Information and Advanced Capitalism: Herbert Schiller. In Theories of The Information Society (pp. 74-100). New York: Routledge.
• Here is a video of an interview Herb Schiller gave in 1997: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7vpqXGW9sE
• Read the Wikipedia entry for Herbert Schiller (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Schiller).
• Questions to consider:
• What is the focus of Schiller’s outlook?
• For Schiller, what is most information technology developed for?
• For Schiller, what is the effect of the information society on class inequality?
• For Schiller, who or what benefits most from the information society?

Group 4 (Moore, Moseman, Sentz, Sokol, Valour, Van Horn)

• Webster, Frank. (1996). Information Management and Manipulation: Jürgen Habermas and the Decline of the Public Sphere Theories of The Information Society (pp. 101-134). New York: Routledge.
• Optional: This is a video of a university lecture that is pretty good: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSNs_QYNIN0
• Questions to consider:
• What is the public sphere?
• How has the information society affected the public sphere?
• What is the effect of advertising and public relations on the public sphere?
• How has new media helped or hurt the public sphere?

Activity (This is for everyone.)

• Post on the discussion blog, Facebook or Twitter a link to a communication campaign that is underway. We will discuss these campaigns and how to conduct the campaign assignment in class.