Courses

This page contains summaries of recent courses taught by CSC members:

COM 691: Communication, Terrorism and National Security

This course examines and critiques a range of human and technological communication issues as they relate to and shape current understandings about terrorism and national security. We will begin with an overview of the concepts of “terrorism” and “national security” within cultural, historical, and communication contexts, with an emphasis on the rise of non-state sponsored terrorism that led up to and continues to occur since 9/11. Our organizing framework consists of the theoretical interplays of “levels of communication analysis” (e.g., interpersonal, group/team, organizational, intraorganizational, and public/ mediated) with theoretical tensions (e.g., Order – Chaos; Modern – Postmodern; Tightly Coupled Organizations – Loosely Coupled Networks; Security – Insecurity; Centralized – Decentralized; Openness – Secrecy; Democracy – Theocracy; Prescriptive action – improvisation) that describe a continuum of possible ways to interpret theory and research in relation to the readings, public lecture, and discussion topics we pursue.

COM 421: Rhetoric of Social Issues

The path(s) taken toward social change and protest in the 20th and 21st centuries provide us with a rich rhetorical landscape for exploration, analysis, and evaluation. Relying on a body of rhetorical artifacts that focus on acts of terrorism and terrorist organizations, we will build a common understanding of how individuals and collectives work to fulfill their particular goals. These goals may include violent attacks and acts as well as demands for policy changes and strategies for gaining recruits and acceptance of their causes. The purpose of this course is to consider the working definition that nations and states have for terrorism; to study the broad message strategies used by groups to affect terror; the particular tactics used to illicit terror and to examine the goals that groups suggest they are moving towards. In addition, we will consider the response of groups, nations, or organizations to groups who terrorize them. One likely outcome of our time together will be disagreement about facts, values, policies, and world views, but to the extent that we conduct ourselves with mutual respect and an eagerness to learn such disagreement can enrich us all.

COM 394: Communication and American Culture in Times of Crisis

This course explores the impact of crises on issues related to communication and American culture. Our focus will be a comparison of the discourses that shaped and informed the Cold War (1947 – 1991) and the current post-9/11 Global War on Terror. Our aim will be to examine the similarities and differences between how everyday life for citizens during “enduring wars” is/was influenced by communication ideologies and practices channeled through our government, media, and popular culture. The aim is to guide discussions that will provide us with what Kenneth Burke calls “equipment for living,” and to offer perspectives that will help each of you become better consumers of these