Current course offerings

Please Note: Course profiles marked as not available may still be in development.

Course description

Public interest communication brings together aspects of ethics, social and civic responsibility, and philosophy, to provide a new approach to communication theory and practice in the post truth era. It identifies communication as a central component of all social and political practice, and places the 'the public' or rather many 'publics' at the centre of this. In this way, it differs from an organisational or institutional approach that drives communication from the inside out. In this course, students will examine many fields that intersect with public interest frameworks including concepts that provide building blocks and strategies for communication - from organisational listening, capacity building, partnerships and alliances, and the role of pro bono, to the importance of participation and activism in generating democratic debate. The course takes students into places and contexts where interest conflicts abound including the environment, public health, fast fashion, amongst others and challenges them to consider the positions of all stakeholders in determining public interest outcomes, driven by ethical and critical communication practice.

Archived offerings