Rhetoric, Writing, and Public Discourse 350: U.S. Political Campaigns

How did campaigns for political office in the United States come to look like they do today? Focusing on the role of communication in U.S. political campaigns, this course traces how the social movements of the 1960s and 1970s—and backlash to these movements—have shaped the contemporary landscape of U.S. politics. We will examine the history of various features of political campaigns, including candidate debates, advertisements, speeches, media coverage and the traveling press corps, social media and new technologies, crafting candidate image and narrative, deliberative forums, and the role of consultants. Within our exploration of these issues, we will attend to questions of power, access, and identity, including the intersection of race, gender, sexuality, and class in politics. Students will both analyze and create examples of political campaign communication. This course is open to (and suitable for) all class levels, including first-year students. May be taken for credit toward the Film and Media Studies major or minor. Formerly Rhetoric, Writing, and Public Discourse 350 Political Campaign Communication; may not be taken for credit if credit already earned for 350.