COM 341
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION
School of Communications
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Fall 2003

Instructor: Majid Tehranian, majid@hawaii.edu
Webpage: http://www2.hawaii.edu/~majid
Course Listserv: ace-l@hawaii.edu
Office: Crawford Hall 309. Tel.: 808-956-3353
Office Hours: TW 1:00-2:30 pm or by appointment
Class Meetings: W, 2:30-5:00 pm, George Hall 214

Course Description
This course introduces you to the histories, theories, and policies of global communication and international relations. International communication has a long history along the trade routes of the ancient and medieval worlds. In the modern world, it has been intensified through technologically mediated channels. That has led to increasing clash and dialogue among cultural clusters. Out of these encounters, a new global civilization is beginning to emerge whose foundation myths, norms, and institutions have yet to be negotiated. This course reviews the promises and perils of our own historical era.

Requirements
You are required to read the texts by Thussu and Tehranian and one other text of your own choice dealing with international communication problems. In consultation with the instructor, you are also required to undertake a case study of an international communication problem in approximately 10 double-spaced typewritten pages in length. With the instructor’s permission, case studies may be done collaboratively, particularly if they are comparative. Collaborative case studies are expected to be commensurately longer.

Grading Criteria
Grades will be based on one examination (40%), a case study (40%), and class participation (10%). Oral and written presentations will be evaluated on the basis of their originality (20%), relevance (20%), organization (20%), style (20%), and scholarship (20%). : Numeric course grades will correspond to letter grades in the following manner: 90-100, A; 80-89, B; 70-79, C; 60-69, D; and below 60, F.
Attendance is required. For each unexcused absence or delayed assignment, one point will be deducted from a course total of 100 points. A course grade of Incomplete will be given only in very limited circumstances. Students who demonstrate a hardship preventing their timely completion of coursework may receive a course grade of Incomplete.

Global Classroom
Given the global communication emphasis of this course, we hope to create a global classroom by employing, as much as possible, the resources of the Internet. If you haven't already, please obtain an Internet account from UH Computer Center. As soon as you have your own email account, sign up for membership in the world’s most exclusive electronic club, the Academy for Global Communication and Education (ACE), by sending the following message:

To: listproc@hawaii.edu
Message Text: SUBSCRIBE ACE-L <First and LastNames>
Example: SUBSCRIBE ACE-L John Doe

The message should be sent without an electronic signature (should you have one). Also, if you use an HTML e-mail package (ie. Microsoft Outlook) the message sent to listproc should be formatted as Plain Text rather than HTML (under Format, select Plain Text). Membership to the listserv will enable you to communicate with your instructors, fellow students, and former students around the world. Internet is a great research tool and medium of communication with people near or far. Happy surfing!

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SCHEDULE

DATES

TOPICS

READINGS & VIDEOS

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Aug. 27

Introduction

Tehranian, ms. Chs. 1-2 First Contact, V4387

PART I. COMMUNICATION AND EMPIRES

Sep. 3	Communication and Nomadic Empires	Tehranian ms., chs 3 Black Harvest V7458
Sep. 10	Communication and Agrarian Empires	Tehranian ms., ch. 4 Roman empire V19514
Sep. 17	Communication and Commercial Empires	Tehranian ms., ch. 5 Conquistadors, V19632
Sep. 24	Communication and Industrial Empires	Thussu, Ch. 1 Mission DVD PN8008
Oct. 1	Communication and Telematic Empires	Thussu, ch. 7 Empire’s new clothes, v19225

PART II. COMMUNICATION AND GLOBALIZATION

Oct. 8	Theories of Global Communication	Thussu, ch. 2 McLuhan
Oct. 15	Global Telecommunication Infrastructure	Thussu, ch. 3 V 9623
Oct. 29	Global Media Marketplace	Thussu, ch. 4 Global firms V 13199, v.
Oct. 22	Global Media Domination	Thussu, ch. 5 Manufacturing Consent Video
Nov. 5	Global Media Resistance	Thussu, ch. 6 Cyberfuture, v 13099

TAKE HOME EXAM: Review the historical connections between communication and empires. How is communications currently enhancing or inhibiting globalization? The essay should be submitted in ten double-spaced typewritten pages on November 12, 2003.

PART III. GLOBAL COMMUNICATION POLICY PROBLEMS

Nov. 12	Pursuing Power, Peace, and Security	Propaganda Battle, V3166
Nov. 19	Pursuing Freedom, Participation, and Innovation	Global Classroom, V4934
Nov. 26	Pursuing Efficiency, Access, and Equity	Pacific Century, V6701
Nov. 27	Holiday: Thanksgiving
Dec. 3	Pursuing Community and Identity	Pacific Century, V6701
Dec. 10	Case Study Presentations

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REQUIRED TEXTS

Thussu, Daya Kishan. International Communication: Continuity and Change. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. ISBN: 0-340-74131-7.

Ikeda, Daisaku and Majid Tehranian. Global Communication: A Buddhist-Islamic Dialogue. London/New York: British Academic Press, 2003. ISBN: 1-86064-810-X.

Tehranian, Majid. From Silk to Silicon: A Preface to Global History, manuscript to be made available at Kinko’s.

RECOMMENDED TEXTS

Bentley, Jerry H. Old World Encounters: Cross-Cultural Contacts and Exchange in Pre-Modern Times. New York/Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993. ISBN: 0-19-507640-0

Chomsky, Noam and Herman. 1988. Manufacturing Consent. New York: Pantheon Books.

United Nations Development Program. Human Development Report 2002: Deepening Democracy in a Fragmented World. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. ISBN: 0-19-521915-5.

Martin J. Gannon. Global Cultures: Metaphorical Journeys Through 23 Nations, 2nd edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2001. ISBN: 0-7619-1329-7

Shayegan, Daryush. Cultural Schizophrenia: Islamic Societies Confronting the West. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 1992. ISBN: 0-8156-0507-2.

Rajaee, Farhang, Globalization on Trial: The Human Condition and the Information Civilization. West Hartford: Kumarian Press, 2000. ISBN: 0-88936-909-7

Tehranian, Majid and David Chappell, Dialogue of Civilizations: A New Peace Agenda for a New Millennium.
London /New York: IB Tauris, 2002. ISBN: 1-86064-714 X

Said, Edward. 1981. Covering Islam: How the Media and the Experts Determine How We See the Rest of the World. New York: Pantheon

Siochru, Sean O., Bruce Girard, and Amy Mahan. Global Media Governance: A Beginner’s Guide. Lanham: Roman & Littlefield Publishers, 2002. ISBN: 0-7425-1566-4.

Hamelink, Cees J. The Politics of World Communication: A Human Rights Perspective. London: Sage Publications, 1994. ISBN 0-8039-7823-5

Tehranian, Majid. Technologies of Power: Information Machines and Democratic Prospects. Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Corporation, 1990. ISBN: 0-89391-634-X

Tehranian, Majid. Global Communication and World Politics: Domination, Development, and Discourse. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 1999a. ISBN: 1-55587-708-7

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