Seminar Title: Short Documentary Production - Over the course of the semester, five teams of three students will develop a short   (3 to 7 minute) documentary. The subject of the documentary will be established by the second day of class. Attention will be given in choosing a subject to what topics may be   of interest to a Public Television affiliate. Students are encouraged to choose an issue which is ongoing, and is being discussed in the media. At least part of the short documentary will involve a critique of mainstream media’s demonstrable handling of the issue. Students will learn all phases of pre-production, production, post-production, and promotion of their short documentary. Reading, viewing, and critiquing short documentaries, class discussion, group critiquing of each team’s work, and written critiquing will also be required throughout the semester.  Upon determining the subject of their short documentary, students will begin writing a treatment in which they describe the story they will tell, and how they plan to tell it. Once their writing has been refined to a point of producing a suitable treatment, an outline of shooting the film, research, and an optional task of storyboarding will begin (along with other preproduction tasks). Students will then begin producing and directing, using the available cameras, as well as lighting for interviews, and sound recording.  Editing may begin, as is often the case before production is completely done. More than half the semester will involve editing on the suites provided in the CMN media lab. The primary goal in producing these short documentaries is learning the process of producing a short documentary. Additional goals include possible airing on NHPTV if the docs meet their production standards and contain subject matter that is likely to be of interest to their audience. Co-majors are welcome in this course as well, and there are many suitable subjects that would be of interest if focused upon in a short documentary video. While there are no formal prerequisites in this class, the professor encourages those who have at least experienced once the process of making a video, preferably in CMN 596, CMN 597, or CMN 650.

Seminar Title: Rhetoric of the Photograph - In this class, we will explore the enormous rhetorical powers of photographic images - whether combined with photographic images - whether combined with text or not - to inform, educate, delight, and, of course, persuade viewers. We will learn how to consider the rhetorical function of photographs that were taken with the intent to record as well as those that were taken with the intent to persuade; “disposable” photographs as well as famous “classics”; single, unique photographs as well as those commonly embedded in social movements and photo-essays; contemporary photographs “in the prime of” their original rhetorical function as well as some that have outlasted their original message to take on new rhetorical functions. In addition to thinking about particular photographs, we will also consider the ethos of photography itself as a scientific imaging technology. We will supplement our viewing by reading what some of the theorists have had to say about photographs and other kinds of pictures. And, finally, we will sample some of the work rhetorical critics have produced as the discipline has expanded to acknowledge the importance of visual as well as verbal rhetorical artifacts.

Seminar Title: Media and Global Populism - The rise of nationalist populism in established democracies across the globe has inspired considerable shock. From India to Brazil, across Europe and NorthAmerica, nationalism and growing authoritarianism divide societies and threaten human and minority rights. This course examines how the current moment of populist upheaval relates to contemporary mainstream political and media discourse. This course explores how media contributes to populist discourses that divide the nation. Media are crucial for defining shared ideas of who represents "the real people" and whose lives matter most. In the first part of the course, we explore populism's definitions and the media's role in its emergence. What are the historical roots of populism? How have populists historically used new media to reach and influence the public? What distinguishes various forms of populism, and how do they overlap with authoritarian and democratic politics? The second part of the course will examine the media's role in different populist movements worldwide. Students will conduct original research on a single national populist movement over the course of the semester. The capstone project is an online multimedia research portfolio, which includes background research briefs and creative research project options. We will start from the ground up; no prior knowledge is required. Together, we will explore what these different national movements have in common and what they reveal about the future of democracy in an increasingly interconnected world.