Exploring Russia’s media landscape in the context of EU-Russia relations - ABO700587

• Title: Exploring Russia’s media landscape in the context of EU-Russia relations
• Guaranteed by: Department of Czech and Comparative Literature (21-UCLK)
• Faculty: Faculty of Arts
• Actual: from 2023
• Semester: winter
• Points: 5
• E-Credits: 5
• Examination process: winter s.:
• Hours per week, examination: winter s.:0/2, Ex [HT]
• Capacity: unknown / unknown (unknown)
• Min. number of students: unlimited
• 4EU+: no
• Virtual mobility / capacity: no
• State of the course: not taught
• Language: English
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Note: course can be enrolled in outside the study plan; enabled for web enrollment
• Guarantor: Mgr. Ilia Kozlov, Ph.D.
• Class: A – Mezioborová nabídka VP: Sociální vědy; Exchange - 14.1 Political Sciences; Exchange - 14.2 Sociology

Annotation

In the modern digital era, the media, specifically its content, shapes the way we see how the land lies, how the outside world functions, and how political events are constructed and represented in the news media — it’s the lens we look at the world through. Therefore, this course approaches a range of questions associated with the media, placing its focus on Russia’s media landscape in the context of the current EU-Russia relations. By doing so, this course intends to help European students better understand modern Russia, its media practices and struggles for freedom of the press, and government policies aimed at eradicating any media promoting any views opposed to the Kremlin. Russia’s media and Russia’s approach to media practices can be viewed as a telling example of why it is so important to critically interact with news pieces, develop media literacy skills, decode media manipulation, and identify other fundamental media techniques.

Provided the importance of the media in today’s world, exploring Russia’s media landscape is very likely to shed more light on the topic in question and underscore the significance of further strengthening media literacy practices and guidelines.

Among the teaching methods of this course are mini-lectures on the key Media Studies concepts and concepts, case studies and their subsequent discussions, and role model exercises to train students to navigate the current news landscape.

Last update: Kozlov Ilia, Mgr., Ph.D. (01.09.2022)

Aim of the course

The course's main objective is to spotlight some crucial aspects of the media field in the context of EU-Russia relations. The students familiarise themselves with some critical media concepts and theories and put the chosen pieces of news under their analytical scrutiny. To this end, students are to work on their openness and non-judgmentalism to one another’s views and critical observations since the unbiased evaluation of alternative explanations is key to developing media literacy skills.

● To provide insights into Russia’s media practices and their impact on EU-Russia relations

● To enhance students’ media literacy skills in assessing news reports and other pieces of news production.

● To think critically, decode media messages, deconstruct myths and disinformation.

● To provide students with available practical tools for improving news judgement.

● To broaden students’ knowledge of international events and current affairs, putting the topics into context.

Last update: Kafka Ivan, Mgr. Bc. (19.07.2022)

Course completion requirements

To complete the course, students ought to attend the lectures and seminars (at least 75% attendance), proactively participate in in-class discussions on the chosen topics, and also prepare either of assignments throughout the course:

● Two brief essays on the selected topic (750 - 1000 words each)

● One essay and one presentation on the chosen topic

● One analysis of a chosen news report (1500)

Last update: Kafka Ivan, Mgr. Bc. (19.07.2022)

Literature

FAIRCLOUGH, N.: Media discourse. London 1995.

FAIRCLOUGH, N.: Analysing Discourse: Textual Analysis for Social Research. 2003.

FAIRCLOUGH, N.: Critical Discourse Analysis: The Critical Study of Language. 2010.

FAIRHURST, G.T.: The Power of Framing: Creating the Language of Leadership. San Francisco 2011.

JEFFRIES, L. - MCINTYRE, D.: Stylistics. Cambridge 2010.

JEREMY, L.: The Dialogue of Negation: Debates on Hegemony in Russia and the West. London 2000.

INSTITUTE FOR PROPAGANDA ANALYSIS, INC.: Propaganda Analysis. New York 1938.

LAKOFF, G.: Don’t Think of an Elephant! Vermont 2014.

LARUELLE, M.: Is Russia Fascist?: Unraveling Propaganda East and West. New York 2021.

LIPPMANN, W.: Liberty and the News. New York 1920.

LUNTZ, F.: Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear. New York 2008.

MCCOMBS, M.: Setting the Agenda. Cambridge 2014.

Vladimir Pozner’s lecture (link )

Other sources:

Last update: Kozlov Ilia, Mgr., Ph.D. (02.09.2022)

Syllabus

* Lesson 1. Understanding differences and similarities in Media: Reality, Culture and Media
What is reality?
What affects the lenses we see the world through? 
The Russian propagandistic web: How does the word get out?

* Lesson 2. Introduction to media literacy as a practical guideline on how to interact with news stories
What is media literacy?
The Media Literacy index by OSIS.BG
Media Literacy in the EU and Russia: are we well-informed?

* Lesson 3. Media Representations
Levels of Media Analysis
Representations as social constructions of reality

* Lesson 4. Fairclough’s approach to Media Discourse Analysis
The framework of Media Discourse
The role of Power, Ideology, Identities
Linguistic complexities

* Lesson 5. Media stylistics and its theories and concepts
Text World Theory as a tool for research analysis
Foregrounding and backgrounding
Metaphors and other linguistic tropes

* Lesson 6. Media theories and key concepts
Framing theory
Agenda-Setting theory
Disinformation, misinformation, and fake news

* Lesson 7. Tools for (de)constructing political realities in the news
Assessing headlines, leads, and messages: logic and cohesion
The importance of visuals and encrypted messages: case studies

* Lesson 8. Russia’s and EU’s media narratives
Media representation
Russia’s and EU’s narratives in the media
Us and Them: the concept of Russia as an alternative to the West

* Lesson 9. Media statements: distinguishing facts from fiction (and opinions)
How much weight do facts carry in the news? Opinions?
The Rise of Interpretative Journalism
Who are the media identities, and what do they tell us?

* Lesson 10. What does the Web say?
The WEB is a source of research
Russia and the EU

* Lesson 11. Putin’s Rhetoric on the West and its reflection in media
Putin’s speech at the Munich conference in 2017
Putin’s televised speech on February 21, 22
How does the media cover and interpret the words and messages?

* Lesson 12. Russia’s Foreign Agent Law
Who are the victims?
How did they fall into the club?
Investigative journalists’ life: under the constant threat

* Lesson 13. Media polarisation
No end of trouble?

Last update: Kozlov Ilia, Mgr., Ph.D. (03.10.2022)