COM 420 - Environmental Communication

(3 units) CO9

This course examines the field of Environmental Communication through a combination of theory, research, and application. Topics will investigate how communication and cultural, social, and political systems influence environmental affairs and shape our perceptions of the non-human world. Environmental rhetoric and discourses, ecological deliberation and decision-making, and critical interrogation of environmental ethics will be discussed.

Maximum units a student may earn: 3

Prerequisite(s): Completion of CO1-3.

Grading Basis: Graded
Units of Lecture: 3
Offered: Every Fall - Odd Years

Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. identify how discursive and visual symbols in current cultural and scientific/technical narratives influence viewpoints about the relationships between nature and humans.
2. evaluate key concepts and cultural frames of the environment used in contemporary communication discourses.
3. analyze environmental deliberations and decision-making process to better understand the role of the public, scientific experts, advocates and adversaries, the media, and government agents.
4. critically examine the way environmental concerns are represented to the public through pragmatic discourse.
5. integrate, synthesize, and communicate the interconnections between environmental science, technology, and societal challenges within the framework of environmental dialogue. (CO9)

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