Performance course buttressed by practical theories of public discourse. Focus on analysis of speaking situations and audiences, message construction, presentation, and critical evaluation. Does not count towards the CMN major.

Persuasive discourse as inquiry and advocacy grounded in practical inductive and deductive reasoning. Discovery, analysis, and testing of practical arguments. The nature and function of proof. Some emphasis on applied presentation. Prereq: CMN 456 with C or better, or by permission. Writing intensive.

Locates the development of popular cultural artifacts and practices within the 20th-century social history of the U.S. Examines the political-economic forces that underpinned the commercialization of art, leisure, sports, and other elements of culture in industrial and postindustrial America. Prereq: CMN 456 with C or better, or by permission.

This course will explore how digital media technologies inform strategies of self-presentation and practices of identity formation. We will situate contemporary practices of self-presentation within the historical development of the internet and sociological theories of identity. Students will be encouraged to examine how the internet and mobile technologies challenge existing understandings of concepts such as anonymity, authenticity, reputation, and privacy. Throughout the course, students will be asked to think critically about the ways in which traditional identity markers - such as race, gender, and class - are both challenged and reproduced in digital environments. Drawing on the current digital media landscape, we will explore several contemporary issues including privacy and reputation, self-branding and microcelebrity, online dating, and self-tracking. Throughout the semester, students will use academic literature to identify and address real-world problems.