Kommunikationsteori och strategi
Information från kursledaren
30 Oct 2024
We have made small changes to the schedule in course week 1 and 2. See you on Monday!
4 Oct 2024
Dear students,
you can now find the draft schedule to this course. Please note that this is subject to minor changes, including which activities are mandatory. The final schedule is then published on Canvas by the course start.
For the course start, we meet on Mon 4 Nov, 9am in Room O1, Undervisningshuset. That afternoon we meet at 1pm in Room Z, Ulls hus.
On Tue 5 Nov, 10am, we kick-off the project work with which we start the course with an excursion to Biotopia, Vasagatan 4, Uppsala. Given the relevance to the course via the project work, this is also a mandatory activity.
For more information, see the schedule and/or send us an email!
Your teacher team
-------------------------------------------
29 May 2024
Dear prospective students,
while it will still be a while until the course starts, according to the rules in the academic calendar, the first course day will be on Monday, 4 November (as 1 Nov is a day where no activities should be scheduled). Winter break is from Mon 23 to Mon 31 Dec. Including public holidays, there will be no scheduled activities from Sat, 21 Dec 2024 to Wed, 1 Jan 2025, which means these are safe days to travel elsewhere.
According to our current planning, there will be an on-campus exam on the afternoon of 20 Dec 2024, and we aim to restart with on-campus activities in week 2 (7–10 Jan 2025). You can see current room bookings on TimeEdit, but please do NOT use this to book transport, as this is neither the complete course schedule nor finalised. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, course activities will generally be held on campus and remote participation is not possible.
In the meantime, if you already have any questions, please send us an email!
Your teacher team
Kursvärdering
Kursvärderingen är ännu inte aktiverad
Kursvärderingen är öppen mellan 2025-01-12 och 2025-02-02
Andra kursvärderingar för MX0158
Läsåret 2023/2024
Kommunikationsteori och strategi (MX0158-20162)
2023-10-31 - 2024-01-14
Läsåret 2022/2023
Kommunikationsteori och strategi (MX0158-20131)
2022-11-01 - 2023-01-15
Kursplan och övrig information
Kursplan
MX0158 Kommunikationsteori och strategi, 15,0 Hp
Communication theory and strategyÄmnen
Miljövetenskap MiljövetenskapUtbildningens nivå
Avancerad nivåModuler
Benämning | Hp | Kod |
---|---|---|
Kommunikationsteori | 7,5 | 0102 |
Kommunikationsstrategi | 7,5 | 0103 |
Fördjupning
Avancerad nivå, har kurs/er på avancerad nivå som förkunskapskravAvancerad nivå (A1F)
Betygsskala
Kraven för kursens olika betygsgrader framgår av betygskriterier, som ska finnas tillgängliga senast vid kursstart.
Språk
EngelskaFörkunskapskrav
120 hp på grundnivå. Kunskaper motsvarande 5 hp kommunikationsteori. Engelska 6.Mål
Som förberedelse för att arbeta i professionella roller med miljökommunikation, hjälper kursen studenterna att utveckla och tillämpa begrepp, modeller och språk för reflektion om kommunikation.
Efter avslutad kurs ska studenten kunna
diskutera olika teoretiska perspektiv på kommunikation och illustrera hur dessa skiljer sig åt avseende beskrivningar av kommunikationens funktion
förklara hur olika teoretiska perspektiv på kommunikation relaterar till samhällsförändring, makt och ojämlikhet, handlingsfrihet och struktur
utveckla en kommunikationsstrategi och diskutera hur olika teoretiska perspektiv återspeglar och återspeglas i en sådan strategi och dess implementering
diskutera hur kommunikationsstrategier förhåller sig till makt och ojämlikhet.
Innehåll
Kursen innehåller en teoretisk och en praktisk komponent. I den teoretiska komponenten är fokus att förstå, jämföra och tillämpa olika teoretiska perspektiv på kommunikation, inklusive instrumentella och konstitutiva perspektiv. Detta görs genom litteraturstudier, föreläsningar och seminarier.
I den praktiska komponenten undersöks kommunikativa praktiker genom litteraturstudier och föreläsningar och genom tillämpning i erfarenhetsbaserade workshops och i ett projektarbete. I de erfarenhetsbaserade workshops tillämpar studenterna modeller för att utveckla strategier för kommunikationsaktiviteter i praktiska exempel och fallstudier. I projektarbetet utvecklar studenterna en egen kommunikationsstrategi utifrån teoretiska och praktiska ställningstaganden. Aktivt deltagande i workshops är obligatoriskt.
Sambanden mellan teori och praktik diskuteras genomgående i kursen och vi reflekterar över kommunikativa praktiker med hjälp av kommunikationsteori. Detta inkluderar reflektion kring vilka antaganden om samhällsförändringar, makt och ojämlikhet, samt handlingsfrihet och struktur som finns inbyggda i kommunikativ praktik och teori.
Betygsformer
Kraven för kursens olika betygsgrader framgår av betygskriterier, som ska finnas tillgängliga senast vid kursstart.Examinationsformer och fordringar för godkänd kurs
Studenter examineras med avseende på båda kurskomponenterna, det vill säga teoretiska perspektiv på kommunikation samt utveckling av strategier för kommunikationsaktiviteter.
Examination sker genom:
hemtentamen
rapport från projektarbete.
Kraven för godkänt kurs är:
godkänd hemtentamen
godkänd rapport från projektarbete
aktivt deltagande i obligatoriska workshops
aktivt deltagande i projektarbetet.
Examinatorn har, om det finns skäl och är möjligt, rätt att ge en kompletteringsuppgift till den student som inte blivit godkänd på en examination.
Om studenten har ett beslut från SLU om riktat pedagogiskt stöd på grund av funktionsnedsättning, kan examinatorn ge ett anpassat prov eller låta studenten genomföra provet på ett alternativt sätt.
Om denna kursplan läggs ned, ska SLU besluta om övergångsbestämmelser för examination av studenter, som antagits enligt denna kursplan och ännu inte blivit godkända.
För examination av självständigt arbete (examensarbete) gäller dessutom att examinatorn kan tillåta studenten att göra kompletteringar efter inlämningsdatum. Mer information finns i utbildningshandboken.
Övriga upplysningar
- Rätten att delta i undervisning och/eller handledning gäller endast det kurstillfälle, som studenten blivit antagen till och registrerad på.
- Om det finns särskilda skäl, har studenten rätt att delta i moment som kräver obligatorisk närvaro vid ett senare kurstillfälle. Mer information finns i utbildningshandboken.
Ytterligare information
Förkunskapskravet 5 hp i kommunikationsteori kan uppfyllas till exempel genom att studenten har läst kurser som berör kommunikationsteori och demokrati eller kommunikationens roll i samhället eller samverkan och kommunikation. SLU-kurser som är förkunskapsgrundande: MX0115 Introduktionskurs till miljökommunikation - Samhälle, socialt samspel och kommunikativa färdigheter, 15.0 hp, MX0148 Konflikt, demokrati och processledning, 15.0 hp, eller MX0149 Att förstå samhällets miljöstyrning utifrån ett kritiskt konstruktivt förhållningssätt, 15.0 hp.Ansvarig institution/motsvarande
Institutionen för stad och land
Kompletterande uppgifter
Litteraturlista
Reading List MX0158: Communication Theory and Strategy
All readings are available on Canvas. Supplementary readings for eager readers are marked with a preceding star. All other readings are mandatory to read within the indicated course week.
CW1: Introduction to Communication Theory
In this first course week, we are looking at communication models (Organizational Communication Channel, 2017) and the value of theory. We look at the use of theory in communication practice (Barge & Craig, 2009), reflect upon the usefulness of theory when talking about communication (Craig, 2005; see also Craig, 2013), and how theory can helps us to think about strategizing communication (Gullbrandsen & Just, 2020).
When reading, you should consider how the readings apply to environmental communication: What should be the role of the environment in communication theory? How can communication theory be relevant to analyse or act in relation to issues concerning the environment?
Barge, J. K., & Craig, R. T. (2009). Practical theory in applied communication scholarship. In L. R. Frey & K. N. Cissna (Eds.), Routledge handbook of applied communication research (pp. 95–118). Routledge.
Craig, R. T. (2005). How we talk about how we talk: Communication theory in the public interest. Journal of communication, 55(4), 659–667.
Guldbrandsen, I. T., & Just, S. N. (2020). Strategizing Communication (Ch. 1*) In: Strategizing Communication* (2nd ed.). Studentlitteratur.
Organizational Communication Channel. (2017). Communication Models. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-O-fV5qT-0
* Craig, R. T. (2013). Communication theory and social change. Communication & Social Change, 1(1), 5–18.
CW2: Transmission and Transaction Models
In the second course week, we engage with literature that—in our understanding—follows an understanding of communication as transmission or transaction: the readings include research on individual messages (Werder, 2014; Taylor, 1999), and on rhetorics (Foust & Murphy, 2009), and rather instructive articles on pro-environmental behaviour change from a psychologists perspective (Steg & Vlek, 2009), and on communication planning from a transmission/transaction perspective (Jurin et al, 2010). That simply ‘informing’ and ‘influencing’ is not that simple is emphasised in other articles (Godemann, 2021; Seamon, 1982; Tyson & Unson, 2006).
The following questions may guide your sense-making of these: What are assumptions about individuals and agency in these readings? What is ‘good’ or ‘successful’ (environmental) communication according to these readings, and how does this relate to your understanding? In which cases or contexts of environmental communication is an approach of transmission or transaction insufficient? How can we distinguish different levels of communication in communication practice, from individual utterance/message to overall strategy?
Foust, C. R., & Murphy, W. O. S. (2009). Revealing and reframing apocalyptic tragedy in global warming discourse. Environmental Communication, 3(2), 151–167.
Godemann, J. (2021). Communicating sustainability. Some thoughts and recommendations for enhancing sustainability communication. In F. Weder, L. Krainer, & M. Karmasin (Eds.), The Sustainability Communication Reader. Springer.
Jurin, R. R., Roush, D., & Danter, J. (2010). Planning Environmental Communication. In *Environmental communication. Skills and principles for Natural Resource Managers, Scientists, and Engineers *(pp. 75–82). Springer.
Steg, L., & Vlek, C. (2009). Encouraging pro-environmental behaviour: An integrative review and research agenda. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 29(3), 309–317.
Werder, K. P. (2014). A theoretical framework for strategic communication messaging. In The Routledge handbook of strategic communication (pp. 293–308).
* Jurin, R. R., Roush, D., & Danter, J. (2010). Planning Environmental Communication. In *Environmental communication. Skills and principles for Natural Resource Managers, Scientists, and Engineers *(pp. 83–121). Springer.
* Seamon, D. (1982). The phenomenological contribution to environmental psychology. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 2(2), 119–140.
* Taylor, R. E. (1999). A six-segment message strategy wheel. Journal of Advertising Research, 39(6), 7–7.
* Tyson, B., & Unson, C. (2006). Environmental communication strategies: When is what appropriate? Management of Natural Resources, Sustainable Development and Ecological Hazards, 99, 83.
CW3: Communication as Constitutive to Society
In the third course week, we look at models of communication that look at emergent meanings, interactions, and social systems; Mead (1934) provides an essential introduction what this means. Other articles look rather theoretically at talk in context of organisations and organisational communication (Fredriksson & Pallas, 2014), in relation to conversations and persuasion (Humă et al, 2020), or behaviour and social change (Berglez & Olausson, 2021; Keller et al, 2016; Hausknost et al, 2018; Shove, 2010). There are also articles looking at the role of social movements (Cox, 2010), fair-trade marketing (Machin & Cobley, 2020), and sense-making of climate change in remote communities (Paerregaard, 2020).
The following questions may guide your sense-making of these articles: What are assumptions about individuals, agency, and structure in these readings? What is ‘good’ or ‘successful’ (environmental) communication according to these readings, and how does this relate to your understanding? What are the roles and confinements of environmental communication practice to be impactful? In which contexts or situations is an approach looking at overall societal and environmental change insufficient, and what is the role of power relations in this?
Cox, J. R. (2010). Beyond frames: Recovering the strategic in climate communication. Environmental Communication, 4(1), 122–133.
Fredriksson, M., & Pallas, J. (2014). Strategic communication as institutional work. In D. Holtzhausen & A. Zerfass (Eds.), The routledge handbook of strategic communication (pp. 167–180). Routledge.
Humă, B., Stokoe, E., & Sikveland, R. O. (2020). Putting persuasion (back) in its interactional context. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 17(3), 357–371.
Mead, G. H. (1934). In C. W. Morris (Ed.), Mind, self, and society: From the standpoint of a social behaviorist (pp. 253–260, 325–328). University of Chicago Press.
Keller, M., Halkier, B., & Wilska, T.-A. (2016). Policy and Governance for Sustainable Consumption at the Crossroads of Theories and Concepts. Environmental Policy and Governance, 26(2), 75–88.
Berglez, P., & Olausson, U. (2021). Climate irresponsibility on social media. A critical approach to “high-carbon visibility discourse”. Social Semiotics, 1–15.
* Hausknost, D., Haas, W., Hielscher, S., Schäfer, M., Leitner, M., Kunze, I., & Mandl, S. (2018). Investigating patterns of local climate governance: How low-carbon municipalities and intentional communities intervene in social practices. Environmental Policy and Governance, 28(6), 371–382.
* Machin, D., & Cobley, P. (2020). Ethical food packaging and designed encounters with distant and exotic others. Semiotica, 2020(232), 251–271.
* Paerregaard, K. (2020). Communicating the inevitable: Climate awareness, climate discord, and climate research in Peru’s highland communities. Environmental Communication, 14(1), 112–125.
* Shove, E. (2010). Beyond the ABC: climate change policy and theories of social change. Environment and Planning A, 42(6), 1273–1285.
CW4: Critiquing Communication & Metadiscourse
In the fourth course week, we look at theoretical perspectives that highlight the limitations and issues of communication (Luhmann, 1992; Singer, 2020; Harsin, 2018) and understanding (Habermas, 2001; Kings & Ilbery, 2014; Toledano, 2018; Foss & Griffin, 1995) as well as their implications (Nothaft & Wehmeier, 2007; Deetz, 1992).
When reading, you may want to reflect on the following questions: What does communication mean or entail? How is communication problematic? What are the different ways in which communication studies can be(come) relevant for the environment and related issues? What are the implications of the readings on communication practice in line with ‘textbook models’?
Deetz, S. A. (1992). Democracy in an age of corporate colonization: Developments in communication and the politics of everyday life (pp. 173–198). SUNY Press.
Habermas, J. (2001). Truth and society: The discursive redemption of factual claims to validity. In B. Fultner (Trans.), On the pragmatics of social interaction: Preliminary studies in the theory of communicative action (pp. 85–103). MIT Press.
Luhmann, N. (1992). What is communication? Communication Theory, 2(3), 251–259.
Nothhaft, H., & Wehmeier, S. (2007). Coping with complexity: Sociocybernetics as a framework for communication management. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 1(3), 151–168.
Singer, N. R. (2020). Toward Intersectional Ecofeminist Communication Studies. Communication Theory, 30(3), 268–289.
* Foss, S. K., & Griffin, C. L. (1995). Beyond persuasion: A proposal for an invitational rhetoric. Communications Monographs, 62(1), 2–18.
* Harsin, J. (2018). Post-truth and critical communication studies. In Oxford research encyclopedia of communication.
* Kings, D., & Ilbery, B. (2014). The lifeworlds of organic and conventional farmers in central-southern England: A phenomenological enquiry. Sociologia Ruralis, 55(1), 62–84.
* Toledano, M. (2018). Dialogue, strategic communication, and ethical public relations: Lessons from Martin Buber’s political activism. Public Relations Review, 44(1), 131–141.
CW5: Metatheory and Metadiscourse
Finally, we discuss metatheory and metadiscourse, by wrapping up all the different theoretical perspectives discussed into a coherent metatheoretical framework (Craig, 1999), and using this framework to interrogate communication metadiscourse, i.e. talk about communication (Craig, 2019).
Craig, R. T. (1999). Communication theory as a field. Communication Theory, 9(2), 119–161.
Craig, R. T. (2019). Models of communication in and as metadiscourse. In M. Bergman, K. Kirtiklis, & J. Siebers (Eds.), Models of communication (pp. 11–33). Routledge.
CW6–10: Case study
These texts provide excellent contextualisation to the course project and offer frameworks of reference and thinking (Ablett & Dyer, 2009; Hallgren, 2019), but also concrete research results that may help to guide (Christmas, 2013) or critically interrogate communication contexts (Horst & Michael, 2011).
Ablett, P. G., & Dyer, P. K. (2009). Heritage and hermeneutics: Towards a broader interpretation of interpretation. Current Issues in Tourism, 12(3), 209–233.
Christmas, S., Wright, L., Morris, L., Watson, A., & Miskelly, C. (2013). Engaging People in Biodiversity Issues: Final report of the Biodiversity Segmentation Scoping Study (Final Report No. WC1056). Defra. http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Module=More&Location=None&ProjectID=18411
Hallgren, L. (2019). The strategic Nature Interpreter & Planning for peoples shared creation of meaning. In E. Sandberg (Ed.), Naturvägledning i Norden: En bok om upplevelser, lärande, reflektion och delaktighet i mötet mellan natur och människa (pp. 222–241). Nordic Council of Ministers. http://norden.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A1426533&dswid=-2542
Horst, M., & Michael, M. (2011). On the Shoulders of Idiots: Re-thinking Science Communication as ‘Event’. Science as Culture, 20(3), 283–306.
CW7: Connecting Theory and Practice
After the presentations of the case study, we try to connect theory and practice a bit more again. We look again at the role of communication theory for thinking about strategy (van Ruler, 2018), at how communication strategy emerges through interaction (Guldbrandsen & Just, 2020), and how evaluation does (not) happen (Macnamara, 2018). Further articles consider diversity of communication across different organisations (Fredriksson & Pallas, 2016) and a different take on communication models (GTZ Rioplus, 2006). When you are reading these, consider the following questions: How can communication be ‘strategic’ on behalf of the environment? To what extent does the context of communication (e.g. organisations, expectations) make communication a ‘performance’ of disciplinary principles or organisational self-conception? What is the role of professional reflection in communication practice?
Guldbrandsen, I. T., & Just, S. N. (2020). Strategy as emergent action (Ch. 4)* In: *Strategizing Communication (2nd ed.). Studentlitteratur.
Macnamara, J. (2018). A review of new evaluation models for strategic communication: Progress and gaps. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 12(2), 180–195.
van Ruler, B. (2018). Communication Theory: An Underrated Pillar on Which Strategic Communication Rests. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 12(4), 367–381. Feel free to skip the “Strategic communication defined” section.
* Fredriksson, M., & Pallas, J. (2016). Diverging principles for strategic communication in government agencies. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 10(3), 153–164.
* GTZ Rioplus. (2006). Strategic communication for sustainable development: A conceptual overview (pp. 2–4, 14–47). GTZ.