November 5-9, 2007. The transformation of post-communist societies in Eastern and Central Europe - Media and Politics
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Sonja Peters, M.A
Prof. Dr. Petra Stykow - Ludwig Maximilians Universität
Prof. Fröhlich's part will focus on communication issues, media research and emphases like media systems and journalism in post-communist societies. Accordingly Prof. Stykow will enter the field from the political siences' perspective. The aim is to find shared issues and to discuss various perspectives in joint sessions and study groups. Here we expect an additional perspective as input from colleagues and students from Ca’ Foscari.
The course will beginn at LMU Munich with preparatory lectures on the introduction and basic knowledge about (1) international media Systems, and (2) the structures and processes of the development and transformation of political systems in Central and Eastern Europe, including political determinants of media systems (preparatory lectures by Professor Romy Fröhlich and Prof Petra Stykow).
At VIU, the course will start with the following topics: freedom of media and journalism, the theory of democracy on roles and functions of free media and journalism, the freedom of information and opinion during democratisation processes and it’s relevance for the maintenance of democracies. Different working groups will have to deal with basic requirements for the realisation of freedom of media and journalism. Within this context the seminar will examine and compare different types of media systems in Western, Central and Eastern Europe. We plan to establish different working groups on various cases (case studies) like e.g. (1) UK and Germany, (2) Italy, France and Spain, (3) the new members of the European Union, (4) successor countries of the former Soviet Union (CIS countries) etc. The result will be contrasted with the US-American system of media and journalism, which so far has served as a role model for many Eastern European countries in transition. For example the United States have been very successful in establishing multifaceted networks of consultants (for media organisations, journalism educators, universities, unions, etc.) in Central and Eastern Europe. Thus the American system seems to be very important and influential for the whole transformation process of post-communist media systems and political systems.
To understand this process it is most important to learn more about the functioning of various types of political systems (keywords: democratic and non-democratic regimes, hybrid regimes, legacies of the authoritarian or even totalitarian past, “Samizdat” and “second society”, “Glasnost” and “Perestroyka”, etc.).
The seminar also deals with theoretical arguments and empirical findings about self-assessment, professional identity and role definition of journalists during democratisation, the structural reforms of the media sector in terms of gaining independence from the state and the economic restructuring of the sector (e.g. privatisation and commercialisation, the media sector as high-profit industry, (media-based) oligarchs and the state: the Russian case, the Go-East of Western media organisations, media and political opposition in hybrid regimes, etc.).
The seminar’s central aim and educative objectives are
• to implement and practice international comparative approaches in research and teaching
• to foster further international and interdisciplinary cooperation, exchange in research and teaching.
• to create better chances and opportunities for the integration of international students’ experiences into our body of knowledge by offering a space for intellectual and cultural exchange which allows students from various countries to develop, introduce and discuss specific issues of their individual, cultural and political background. Respectively, this will allow our students to learn across national boarders.
Please note: For creditors there will be a reader with central introductory readings which is obligatory. For VIU students we will send one copy to the VIU prior to the seminar.
Media Studies
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- Blumler, Jay G., McLeod, Jack M. & Rosengren, Karl Erik. (Hrsg.). Comparatively Speaking: Communication and Culture Across Space and Time. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
- Dahlgren, Peter & Sparks, Colin (Hrsg.). Communication and Citizenship: Journalism and the Public Sphere. London & New York: Routledge.
- Esser, Frank. (1998). ‘Editorial structures and work principles in British and German newsrooms’, European Journal of Communication 13(3), 375-405.
- Fröhlich, R. (1995). Coping with the new system. Implications of journalism education in former GDR after democra¬tization. Le Reseau/The Global Network, o.Jg.(3), 33–47.
- Fröhlich, R. & Holtz-Bacha, C. (1993). Structures of inhomogeneity –– dilem¬mas of journalism training in Europe. In Gerd G. Kopper (Hrsg.), Innovation in journalism training. A European perspective (S. 13–25). Berlin: Vistas.
- Fröhlich, R. & Holtz-Bacha, C. (2003). Journalism education in Europe and North America. A structural comparison. London: Hampton Press.
- Hallin, Daniel C. & Mancini, Paolo. (2004). Comparing Media Systems: Three Models of Media and Politics. New York: Cambridge University Press.
- Hantrais, Linda & Mangen, Steel (Hrsg.). (1996). Cross-national research methods in the social sciences. London: Pinter.
- Josephi, Beate. (2006). Journalism in the Global Age: Between Normative and Empirical. Gazette, 67(6), 575-590.
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Political Science
- Almond, Gabriel A./ Powell, Jr. G. Bingham/ Strǿm, Kaare/ Dalton, Russel J., 2004:
Comparative Politics Today: A World View. New York u.a.: Pearson Longman.
- Blumler, Jay/ Kavanagh, Dennis, 1999: The Third Age of political communication: Influences and Features. In: Political Communication 16 (1999), 209-230.
- Dahl, Robert, 1989: Democracy and its critics. Yale University Press, New Haven/ London.
- Esser, Frank/ Pfetsch, Barbara, 2004: Comparing Political Communication: Theories, Cases, and Challenges. Cambridge University Press, New York.
- Gunther, Richard/ Mughan, Anthony, 2000: Democracy and the Media. A Comparative Perspective. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
- Hallin, Daniel/ Mancini, Paolo, 2004: Comparing Media Systems. Cambrigde University Press, Cambridge.
- Humphrey, Peter, 1996: Mass Media and media policy in Western Europe. Manchester University Press. Manchester.
- Mazzoleni, Gianpietro/ Schulz, Winfried, 1999: “Mediatization” of politics: A challenge for democracy? In: Political Communication 16 (1999), 247-261.
- McQuail, Denis, 1986: Diversity in Political Communication: Its Sources, Forms and
Future, in: Peter Golding/Graham Murdock/Philip Schlesinger (eds.): Communicating
Politics. Mass Communications and the Political Process, Leicester: Leicester University
Press, 133-149.
- Mill, John Stuart, 1869: On Liberty. Longman, Roberts & Green, London.
- Voltmer, Katrin, 2000: Constructing political reality in Russia. European Journal of Communication. 15 (4), 469-500.
- Voltmer, Katrin, 2006: Mass media and political communication in new democracies. Routledge, London.
- Huntington, Samuel P., 1991: The Third Wave. Democratization in the Late Twentieth Century. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman/London.
- Linz, Juan / Stepan, Alfred, 1996: Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
