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This course focuses on the impact of social media messages. Students develop a working knowledge of contemporary contexts for social media usage; an understanding of socially-mediated messaging strategies; and an appreciation of the new means by which information and culture are being shared and organized. Working in small groups, students will design "white papers" that address the legal, ethical, interpersonal and political challenges that arise from social media use. In addition, students will acquire the ability to make critical and ethical assessments of socially mediated practices.

Public Deliberation immerses students in the study of the theory and practice of public deliberation and dialogue. At the heart of liberal arts education, the principles and practices of deliberation and dialogue constitute important skills for personal, professional, and civic effectiveness. Students will learn to design, coordinate, publicize, facilitate, and report on community deliberations.

This course provides a case study approach to historical and contemporary social movements and cultivates an understanding of public grievance formation and articulation. The course focuses on the rhetorical criticism of social movements. Topics addressed include: consciousness-raising, social movement mobilization and leadership formation, definitional concerns, social movement tactics, the ethics of protest activities, and the role of the mass media in framing public controversies.

Through an examination of communication theory and practice in co-cultural and intercultural contexts, students explore the complexities and learn to navigate communication across cultural differences. Emphasis is placed on the historical development of intercultural theory and interpretive research. Cultural values, attitudes, and behaviors are explored through readings and the analysis of a co-cultural group. This course counts toward the Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies major/minor.