Communication theory and strategy
Information from the course leader
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
Course evaluation
The course evaluation is not yet activated
The course evaluation is open between 2025-01-12 and 2025-02-02
Additional course evaluations for MX0158
Academic year 2023/2024
Communication theory and strategy (MX0158-20162)
2023-10-31 - 2024-01-14
Academic year 2022/2023
Communication theory and strategy (MX0158-20131)
2022-11-01 - 2023-01-15
Syllabus and other information
Syllabus
MX0158 Communication theory and strategy, 15.0 Credits
Kommunikationsteori och strategiSubjects
Environmental Science Environmental scienceEducation cycle
Master’s levelModules
Title | Credits | Code |
---|---|---|
Communication theory | 7.5 | 0102 |
Communication strategy | 7.5 | 0103 |
Advanced study in the main field
Second cycle, has second-cycle course/s as entry requirementsMaster’s level (A1F)
Grading scale
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.
Language
EnglishPrior knowledge
120 credits on basic level. Knowledge equivalent to 5 credits communication theory. English 6.Objectives
Preparing students for a professional role in environmental communication, the aim of the course is to facilitate students’ development of concepts, models, and language that allow deep theoretical and practical reflection about communication, as well as application thereof.
Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to:
discuss different theoretical perspectives on communication and illustrate how communication functions differently according to these;
explain how different theoretical perspectives on communication relate to the concepts of social change, power and inequality, agency and structure;
prepare a communication strategy and discuss how different theoretical perspectives implicate such strategy and its implementation;
discuss how communication strategies connect to issues of social change, and power and inequality.
Content
The course includes a theoretical and a practical component. In the theoretical component, students will learn to recognize, compare, and apply a variety of theoretical perspectives on communication, including instrumental and constitutive perspectives. This is done through literature studies, lectures, and discussions in seminars.
In the practical component, students will learn about communication practice through literature studies and lectures. They apply these insights in experience-based workshops and a project. These experience-based workshops will engage students with models for developing strategies for communication activities, practical examples, and case studies from Sweden or other countries. In the project, students develop their own communication strategy based on theoretical and practical considerations. Active participation in workshops and activities of the project is mandatory.
Throughout the course, connections between theory and practice are discussed, and together we reflect on communication practice using communication theories. This also includes a thorough engagement with assumptions about social change, power and inequality, and agency and structure.
Grading form
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.Formats and requirements for examination
Students are examined in relation to both course components, i.e. on theoretical perspectives of communication and on developing a strategy for communication activities.
Examination through:
home-exam;
report on project work.
Requirements to pass the course are:
passed home-exam;
passed report on project work;
active participation in mandatory workshops;
active participation in activities of the project.
If a student has failed an examination, the examiner has the right to issue supplementary assignments. This applies if it is possible and there are grounds to do so.
The examiner can provide an adapted assessment to students entitled to study support for students with disabilities following a decision by the university. Examiners may also issue an adapted examination or provide an alternative way for the students to take the exam.
If this syllabus is withdrawn, SLU may introduce transitional provisions for examining students admitted based on this syllabus and who have not yet passed the course.
For the assessment of an independent project (degree project), the examiner may also allow a student to add supplemental information after the deadline for submission. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Other information
The right to participate in teaching and/or supervision only applies for the course instance the student was admitted to and registered on.
If there are special reasons, students are entitled to participate in components with compulsory attendance when the course is given again. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Additional information
The prerequisite 5 hp in communication theory is reached for example if the student has engaged with interpersonal or societal communication, such as conflict, democracy, or collaboration, from an academic/theoretical perspective. Courses at SLU that provide this prior knowledge: MX0115 Introduction to environmental communication - Society, social interaction and communicative skills, 15.0 credits, MX0148 Conflict, democracy and facilitation, 15.0 credits, or MX0149 Engaging critically with environmental governance practices, 15.0 credits.Responsible department
Department of Urban and Rural Development
Further information
Litterature list
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.