Essay Exam 1
International Communications (COMM 410)
Below, I have included 4 main questions that address what we have learned in the first five weeks of the semester. See the questions for more details.
You must pick 2 questions and answer them in coherent essays that present a thesis and use evidence from class discussions/examples, reading materials, films and class lectures.
Please see the rubric that accompanies these instructions.
Your essays in total should be no longer than six pages. So each essay may be about 3 pages in length (each question is a separate essay). Thus, make sure to be concise. You will get points taken off for turning in an exam with more than 6 pages.
Please put the essays (double-spaced and 12-point font) into one word document, but make sure to separate them into two different essays. Therefore, each essay should present its own thesis (introduction/conclusion) and evidence (body paragraphs).
Please make sure that your essays are not simply opinion-based. Support your claims with specific evidence. You should make direct references (cited correctly) to course material. You must include references from all course material: readings, online lessons video clips and case studies.
Do NOT do any outside research! The content in your essays should be based on our class.
Essay Questions:
1) Regarding what you have learned about the history of international communications, what lessons do you think we should take from this course about the relationship between capitalism, media and influence/power, especially regarding United States’ international politics?
To answer this question, consider the following:
How does the history of international communication contribute to our knowledge/ perceptions/opinions about the role of media in the world, especially in relation to the maintenance of power/capital?
Conquest, growth of industrial revolution, capitalism and communication
What knowledge does it contribute? (U.S. foreign policy? Are there mistakes we should learn from?)
2) How does propaganda play a role in the history of international communications?
To answer this question, address the following:
What is the relationship between communication research and Cold War politics?
How did conflicts between nations in the twentieth century play a role in shaping how propaganda was used?
What role did radio and film play in distributing propaganda messages? Who (people, governments, corporations, etc.) was involved?
3) Consider what you have learned about the theories of international communication, and the relationship between modernization and dependency theories. How do these two theories contrast one another, and what aspects of dependency theory might help illuminate the problems of United States’ dominance in the world?
To answer this question, consider the following:
The emergence of communication research and modernization theory
Critiques of modernization
Purpose of dependency model (definition of dependency theory)
Imperialism theses of dependency theory
4) Regarding the theory of hegemony, consider how what you have learned about the history of international communications may be connected to the idea of hegemony.
To answer this question, do the following:
First, define hegemony, according to the Lull reading,
Then discuss how this theory may relate to your knowledge about United States’ dominance/hegemony in the world.
How might this theory be related to issues of capitalism (from Thussu’s chapter) and the history of United States’ foreign policy?
Remember, to balance your essays with examples from the readings, lessons and films/video clips!
Lots of class examples and films/video clips to choose from! You can’t talk about everything, so make sure to pick a few examples that best illustrate your main point. Therefore, you have to be very concise with these essays!
Do not regurgitate all of your notes.

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