CMS341 Citizen Journalism & Deliberation, Spring 2025

Week 1 (Jan. 24)    Course Introduction / Reconceptualizing Democracy, I

Think:

• • Why do young people not engage in politics?
  • What are some ways citizens engage in politics?

Week 2 (Jan. 31)    Reconceptualizing Democracy, II

Read:

• Elizabeth Kolbert (2022). “How Politics Got So Polarized,” The New Yorker
• Roberto Stefan Foa& Yascha Mounk (2017). “Foa & Mounk_Signs of Deconsolidation” from Journal of Democracy, 28(1), pp. 5-16

Think:

• What is political polarization? What are its consequences and effects?
• Is modern democracy in crisis? What are the major problems of democracy today?
• What can be done to fix the problems of democracy, if any?

Week 3 (Feb. 7)    Journalism at a Crossroad  

Read:

• Rolf Dobelli (2013). News is bad for you_Dobelli
• Rob Anderson, Robert Dardenne, and George Killenberg (1994). Conversation of Journalism, Ch. 3 (pp. 37~70)

Think:

• Many argue that we should read news daily and be informed of the world. Is the news really helpful for our lives and to maintain democracy? Why, why not?
• What are the main problems of professional journalism today? Why and how did these problems happen?
• What does it mean by journalistic objectivity and neutrality? Is objective news reporting possible and/or desirable?

Week 4 (Feb. 14)    Journalism Beyond Facts

Read:

• Mitchell Stephens (2014), Beyond News, “Introduction” 
• Bill Kovac & Tom Rosenstiel (2014). Elements of Journalism, 3^rd edition, Ch. 2, “Journalistic Truth”
• Michael Blanding (2018) ,”Where does Journalism End and Activism Begin?” from Nieman Reports

Think:

• What does it mean by “wisdom journalism”? What are the standards of wisdom journalism?
• Journalism’s job is to uncover truth. Is there such thing as absolute “truth”? What does it mean by journalistic truth? How are “facts” different from “truth”?
• Can a journalist be an activist at the same time? Why, why not? What are the issues for advocating for a specific cause in journalism?

Week 5 (Feb. 21)   From Public to Citizen Journalism: The Alternative Journalism Movement

Read:

• David Kurpius (2008). Public journalism
• Dan Gilmore (2006), WeTheMeida_Ch.2_ReadWrite Web, Ch. 2 (pp. 23~43)
• Micha B. Dangerfield (n.d.). Power to the People: The Rise and Rise of Citizen Journalism 

Think:

• What is public journalism? How did it rise and fall?
• What is citizen journalism? How is it different from public journalism? What are some examples? What are the weakness and strengths of citizen journalism?
• What is the role of technology in journalism? How did new technologies contribute to the rise of citizen journalism?

Do:

in-class presentation of new journalism initiatives: Go visit the following and present: What are these organizations/projects? How do they operate? How are they different from conventional, mainstream journalism? What are stories like? Who are the people behind? Are they journalists? How do they relate to the ideas of citizen journalism or alternative journalism? Are there any problems or issues? Did you like it or not?

• Camille & Jacob: Solutions Journalism Network https://www.solutionsjournalism.org/    
• Sofia & Kristine : Spaceship Media  https://spaceshipmedia.org/   
• Collin & Tyler: City Bureau             https://www.citybureau.org/
• Tyra & Gilson:  Bellingcat      https://www.bellingcat.com/  
• Elizabeth & Nalina: The Conversation       https://theconversation.com/us     
• Miya & Sorelle: The New Humanitarian   https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/  
• Adeesa & Ivan:  WikiNews / WikiLeaks    https://wikileaks.org/  &  https://www.wikinews.org/   
• Elena:   Jersey Bee     https://jerseybee.org/ 

Week 6 (Feb. 28)   Social Media and News Influencers

Read:

• Knight Center for Journalism (2024). Content creators and journalism_Part I
• Gretel Kahn (2024). “Despite Sexist Attacks, these Female Journalists have Built Massive Online Audiences on Their Own. Here’s How.” Reuters Institute
• Explore “News Influencers.” Here are some.
  • Dylan Page https://www.tiktok.com/@dylan.page?lang=en
  • Vspehar (UnderTheDeskNews) https://www.tiktok.com/@underthedesknews?lang=en
  • Charity Ekezie https://www.tiktok.com/@charityekezie?lang=en
  • Ines Hernand https://www.instagram.com/ineshernand/?hl=en
  • Lizz Sher https://www.instagram.com/lizlivingblue/p/DAgzAibvYrz/?img_index=1
  • Enrique Anarte https://www.tiktok.com/@enriqueanartelazo
  • Kassy Cho https://www.instagram.com/kassy/?hl=en
  • Mosheh Oinounou (Mo News) Mo News – YouTube   or  https://www.instagram.com/mosheh/?hl=en
  • Sophia Smith-Galler https://www.tiktok.com/@sophiasmithgaler?lang=en

Think:

• Can influencers on social media be journalists? Why, why not?
• Why are “news influencers” popular on social media? What are the pros and cons for getting information from news influencers?
• Who are these news influencers? What are their backgrounds? Why do we find them credible or not credible?

Week 7 (Mar. 7)  Deliberation and the Wisdom of Crowds

Read:

• Cass Sunbstein (2008). Infotopia Ch.5
• James Surowiecki (2005). The Wisdom of Crowds_Ch.1
• James Fishkin (2005). Deliberative Polling: Distilling the Crowd’s Wisdom
• Martin Carcasson (2023). “Promoting Deliberative Journalism,” Journal of Deliberative Democracy

Think:

• • How does Wikipedia work? Why is it so successful?
  • Are people competent? Can the public make better judgments in politics than experts?
  • What is “deliberative poll”? How does it work?
  • How is the idea of deliberation used in journalism to improve democracy?

Week 8 (Mar. 14)      Deliberation and Deliberative Democracy / Mock Deliberation

Read:

• NIFI (2003). NIFI_Making Choices Together_Short, pp. 1~24
• John Hibbing & Elizabeth Theiss-Morse (2002). Stealth Democracy Ch 8, pp. 183~208

Also check out the following organizations that engage in deliberation. They provide helpful resrouces as you prepare for your own deliberation.

• Living Room Conversations https://livingroomconversations.org/

• National Issues Forum, www.nifi.org

Think:

• What is public deliberation? Why is deliberation necessary for democracy?
• What is the difference between deliberation and debate?
• What are the promises and perils of deliberation?
• How can we make deliberation work better?

Week 9 (Mar. 21)  Spring Break

 

Mock Deliberation Materials_2025

Practicing Deliberation

 

Student-led deliberations:

 

Week 10 (Mar. 28) Sofia & Sorelle

Week 11 (Apr. 4) Adessa & Elena; Jake

Week 12 (Apr. 11) Elizabeth & Nalina; Ivan

Week 13 (Apr. 18) – Holiday, NO CLASS

Week 14 (Apr. 25) Tyra; Miya

Week 15 (May 2) Kristine; Gilson; Camille

Week 16 (May 9)  Colin & Tyler; Reflections

Read: 

• • Caroline Murray & Natalie J. Stroud (2018). Making Strangers Less Strange. Center for Media Engagement, The University of Texas

Think:

• • What have you learned from the deliberations in this course? What did you like and what did you not like?

• • What are the recent journalism projects that enhance local deliberative democracy? How do they work?

• • What is the relationship between journalism and democracy?
  • Do you think deliberation / deliberative democracy is a viable solution to the problems of modern democracy?