Spring 2022 COMM Courses Relevant to GVPT Majors

COMM428D: Principles and Practices of Democratic Talk

In this class, we consider whether public dialogue and deliberation are capable of solving some of the problems in our contemporary political system. We read theories of dialogue and deliberation, observe real-world examples of both, and then plan and host our own public events. By taking this class, students will develop a toolbox of resources and skills for facilitating public dialogue and deliberation.

COMM458E: How Citizens Communicate

Students in this class study how ordinary people participate in political communication. We focus on eight habits of democratic communication: trust, reciprocity, stranger sociability, public advocacy, deliberation, civility, empathy, and mutual aid. We study them in the public life of our very own College Park, Maryland, by observing meetings, interviewing residents, and examining urban design, and we develop proposals for interventions that would strengthen political communication in College Park. In this class, students develop skills including interviewing, observation, synthesis of data, and project planning.