COM455, Spring 2012

Science and Communication in a Century of Limits

Dr. Patrick Logan, Department of Communication Studies, URI, Kingston RI 02881
Phone: 401-874-2970 | Fax: 401-874-4722 | Email: mayfly@uri.edu | Teaching and Office Hours

Lectures (below) | Assignments & Grading | Weekly Schedule | Postings From the Press

CATALOG DESCRIPTION

Communication of scientific observations and projections of global resource and environmental limits is focussed on persuading formation of publics and social movements needed for widespread action in the 21st century.

COURSE GOALS

We study the science, economics, and communications of climate change; fossil fuel depletion; soil loss; water crises; future food, forests and fisheries; exhaustion of mined ores and minerals; and planetary-scale pollution. We see how scientists observe, reason, and deal with uncertainties, how science is communicated or distorted, and how communications may be used to improve politics and promote effective governance.

PREREQUISITES

Senior or graduate students with varied backgrounds in science and communications. Readings and lectures address knowledge and philosophy, preparing us to focus on how science is conveyed, effectively or not, from science discourse communities to the public. Be prepared for substantial reading and reflective writing. This is an advanced course with high expectations for scholarship.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will be better able to

TEXTS

FORMAT & GRADING

Two weekly classes:one lecture, one discussion. We focus on analysis of assigned readings. This course is reading and writing intensive; there will be three 2-4 page book critiques, a journal, and a final paper. Graduate students will be asked to further critique a small set of refereed journal or technical articles on science or communication theory. Grades are based on these plus degree and quality of participation.

SCHEDULE (Spring, 2012) | TTh 3:30-4:45, 118 Gilbreth Hall

WeekTopics and Lecture Titles
1 (Jan. 24, 26)Preface and Introduction: What Are we Going to Do in This Course?

I. Science Culture and Communication Within Discourse Communities:
What is science telling us about climate change and future resources and how does it communicate?

2 (Jan. 31, Feb. 2)Introduction: To Be Aware and To Act.
3 (Feb. 7, 9)How Science Confronts Doubt, Complexity, and Uncertainty
4 (Feb. 14, 16)What Science Knows About Climate Change and This is Communicated.
6 (Feb. 28, Mar. 1)Peak Oil and the Science of Energy Futures
9 (Mar. 27, 29)Malthusian Science in the Modern Age: Will we Have Enough Food and Water?

II. Systematic Distortion of Science In the Public Sphere:
How do contrarians and ideologues manipulate science, and why?

5 (Feb. 21, 23)Clever Words: How Contrarians Bend Climate Science for Ideology and Corporate Profit.
7 (Mar. 6, 8)With What We Know About The Future of Energy, Why Are We Not Acting Today?
8 (Mar. 20, 22)How Can We Persuade the Public to Act on Climate and Energy Change?

III. Scientific Credibility, Importance, and Rhetoric:
How can science be communicated more effectively to motivate social movements?

10 (Apr. 3, 5)Communicating the Very Different World After the Era of Fossil Fuels.
11 (Apr. 10, 12)Sustain, Transition, or Collapse? Talking About Coming 21st Century Change.
12 (Apr. 17, 19)The Rhetorical University in the Century of Limits
13 (Apr. 24, 26)A World of Believable Myths and the Long Emergency.

Classes end April 30: we do not meet that week.