DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC COMMUNICATION

Communication and society: communication in the world today

The Department of Public Communication is concerned with social communication theory, which  (1) provides the key to understanding communicative activities such as journalism, television, film and radio, institutional communication and advertising; and (2) contributes to a fuller understanding of the role which communication plays in other subjects taught by the School.

Apart from communications theory, public opinion and political communication, the department offers courses with direct professional relevance, such as Media History, Media Law and Media Ethics, as well as courses with a broader cultural focus, such as Modern History, Sociology, Political Institutions and International Relations.

The Department has a strong research record in (1) public opinion and political communication, on an international level, (2) history of journalism, particularly recent Spanish journalism, and (3) media law.

The Department has a Master's program in Political and Corporate Communication (MCPC).

RESEARCH

New legal challenges to the information society
UNESCO Code: 591001.
The legal responsibilities of those who work in the communication industry. The legal system and the means of communication. The re-structuring of the public television model. New technologies and the law. Digital media: copyright law and the rights of the author. The rights to privacy, a good reputation and a good name.

Theoretical, sociological and ethical perspectives on values reflected in the media, and on the positions adopted by communication professionals
UNESCO Code: 5910002.
History of the theories of “agenda-setting” and the “framing” of information. Evaluation of professional standards. Sociological perspectives on editorial activity. New technologies and the representation of values. Studies in the genres of journalism. The ethical dimension of communication: information, argument and fiction in an ethical context. The anthropological and ethical basis of guidelines and standards for professional practice.

Political communication and electoral activity
UNESCO Code: 590502.
Guidelines for the development of a successful political communication strategy – in particular, electoral communication. The image of political and social organizations in the mass media: strategies for image-creation and management. The influence of the media on the political system and on the general public. Comparative study (by country) of the political culture reflected and shaped by the media. Media accounts of political corruption: effects on the political system.

Globalization and cultural diversity in international relations; communication in the field of development
UNESCO Code: 590105.
The media image of international juridical and/or political organizations and institutions – in particular, the image of the European Union. The flow of information between EU bodies: its effects on the image of European integration reflected in the media. Communication and foreign policy. Public diplomacy. Analysis of the international transfer of information. Multiculturalism. Global communication: the impact of new technologies. The role of communication in development.

History of the media in the process of transition to democracy
UNESCO Code: 550611.
Journalism and the political transition to democracy in Spain. The role of the press in the late-Franco period. Comparative study of the media in the transition from authoritarian regimes to democracy in Spain and South America. The history of international news services. The evolution of the regional press in Spain. A historical overview of the development of teaching and training programs in journalism and other media professions.

Application of the methods and techniques of social research in analysis of the media
UNESCO Code: 630204.
The relationship between content-analysis, editorial comment, survey and focus group responses, etc. and the sourcing and presentation of information. Criteria to evaluate the qualitative value of professional standards. Evaluation of the influence of the political positions of media professionals on the communication of information. New technologies and the search for sound information.