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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY
COURSE CODE: "EXP 1025"
COURSE NAME: "Climate Journalism: Combating Disinformation and Driving Change"
SEMESTER & YEAR:
Spring 2025
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SYLLABUS
INSTRUCTOR:
Stella Levantesi
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS:
FRI 2:00PM 6:00PM Course meets on: February 14, March 7, March 21 and April 4
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS:
15
CREDITS:
1
PREREQUISITES:
Students can take a maximum of three 1 credit courses within the 120 credit graduation requirement.
OFFICE HOURS:
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COURSE DESCRIPTION:
In this course students will produce a climate story and, in the process, develop communication and climate literacy skills. It introduces the basic notions of climate journalism, an overview of the obstacles to climate action and issues with climate communication, and how journalism can combat disinformation in this context. The core activity of the course involves learning how to report on and produce a story with an accountability angle, how to recognize obstruction strategies and how to communicate effectively in order to combat disinformation and support climate awareness and action. Because the climate crisis is an ongoing, widespread, complex issue which intersects everything else, skills developed in this course can be applied to other areas of life, from academics to business to creative endeavours.
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SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
Students will engage in reporting and producing a climate story with an accountability angle, learning to identify and counteract obstruction strategies. The course emphasizes the relevance of climate issues across various aspects of life, aiming to enhance communication skills that can be applied beyond the academic setting. The course structure includes four sessions covering the introduction to climate journalism, disinformation strategies, obstruction strategies, and journalism's role in climate accountability. To pass, students must attend all sessions, complete exercises, produce a climate story, and submit an evaluative essay. The course's pass/fail assessment method encourages active participation and practical application of skills learned.
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LEARNING OUTCOMES:
· Climate Literacy and Communication Skills: Students will develop a strong understanding of climate science and the climate crisis and the ability to communicate complex climate issues effectively to a general audience, thereby enhancing their climate literacy and communication skills.
· Critical Analysis of Disinformation: Students will learn to critically analyze and recognize disinformation strategies related to climate change, enabling them to produce journalistic content that counters misinformation and educates the public.
· Production of Climate Stories: Students will gain practical experience in reporting and producing a climate story with an accountability angle, which will involve research, writing, and applying journalistic standards to create impactful narratives.
· Understanding of Obstruction Strategies: Through case studies and exercises, students will understand various obstruction strategies, such as traditional denialism, delay tactics, and lobbying, and learn how to address these in their reporting to support informed public discourse on climate action.
· Application of Climate Journalism to Broader Contexts: Students will be able to apply the principles and skills of climate journalism to other academic or life activities, demonstrating the interdisciplinary nature of climate issues and the importance of informed communication in various sectors.
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TEXTBOOK:
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REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
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GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
| Assignment | Guidelines | Weight |
| This course is pass/fail: | | |
| Attend all four sessions | | 20% |
| Complete research and writing exercises during sessions | | 20% |
| Report on and produce a climate story – article, audio or photo story – with an accountability angle | | 40% |
| Submit a 1000-word essay evaluating the final product, including a discussion of what was learned, including aims, strategies, difficulties and successes, and how climate journalism can be applied to other academic or life activities | | 20% |
-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Students must: Attend all four sessions (20%)
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ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic
dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred.
In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment,
may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of
academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student
who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from
the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation
to the President, who will make the final decision.
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STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap.
Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning
of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
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SCHEDULE
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Session 1 Intro to climate journalism
What is climate journalism; differences between PR and journalism; to dos and dont’s of climate journalism; focus on climate journalism that can combat disinformation; intro on sources and best practices; Basics of the climate crisis, causes, effects and available solutions; research and writing exercises; how to produce stories to push climate action;
Session 2 Disinformation strategies and media echo chamber
Media echo chamber; media and climate disinformation; issues with communicating the climate crisis; focus on greenwashing, misleading advertising and sponsorships; based on session learning, exercises to recognize, categorize and deactivate intentional strategies to obstruct climate action in the media and online
Session 3 Obstruction strategies: traditional denialism, delay, lobbying and social media influencers
Climate change denialism; deflection and delay tactics; journalistic investigations into the fossil fuel and other polluting industries and its lobby groups; basic intro on lobbying, money flows and climate journalism; climate obstruction strategies and disinformation on social media, from fossil fuel influencers to greenwashing communication; exercises on social media case studies to recognize, categorize and deactivate intentional strategies to obstruct climate action
Session 4 Journalism and climate accountability
From journalism to climate litigation; how journalism can work together with academics, scientific experts, researchers, activists and lawyers to push climate accountability; examples of cross-sector collaborations; prep work for final story production: choice of issue, angle, media, directions for reporting and producing the story
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