Undergraduate cross-listed course - Public Policy 475-006
This course, structured as a seminar and writing workshop, will develop your critical reading and persuasive writing skills through analysis and critique of, and the opportunity to write in, three vital, but perhaps under-discussed, genres of policy writing: public officials’ use of social media; Substack articles on policy topics; and political speeches. Writing exercises and assignments will focus on every stage of the writing process—from brainstorming and research, through drafting and revision. We will read—or listen to, or watch—and analyze a wide variety of examples from print and online media, including journalistic, government, social media, television, film, and academic sources. We will also explore ethical considerations of political speech in each of the topic areas, examining how rhetorical choices—tone, sentence structure, even word choice—construct our subjects and frame contentious issues for target audiences.
