Spring 2024
Note: I have taken out GW specific logistics and guest speaker names.
DRAFT
Last updated 3-20-24
This is a DRAFT of the syllabus – it will change between now and when classes start, and then change more during the semester. The most likely changes are:
Names and dates of guest speakers (largely working political professionals)
I may add readings drawn from the popular press
The grading schema is unlikely to change
Syllabus
Political Communication Ethics – SMPA 3348
Spring 2024
Mon and Weds 12:45p – 2:00p
MPA 308
Instructor: Peter Loge
ploge@gwu.edu
Office Hours:
My schedule can be unpredictable – you should make an appointment or drop by, I’m around a lot.
“The world is still in want of clear-headed citizens, tempered by historical perspective, disciplined by rational thinking and moral compass, who speak well and write plainly.”
- Lee Pelton, former President of Emerson College
This course will raise the question of what, if any, ethical responsibility those who work in political communication have, and to whom or what they have those responsibilities. The course will be a mix of theories about what counts as ethical communication in politics in the abstract, and specific situations in which you may find yourself in a career in politics.
You will be expected to do the readings, think about their connections to events in politics, and participate in class discussions. Quality of insight is better than quantity of words, and challenging questions and questioning of assumptions is always more interesting than just tagging along.
The success or failure of this class rests largely on you and your colleagues. If you listen closely to your peers, make unexpected connections, and take intellectual risks, the spring will be a very interesting conversation.
Learning Outcomes
As a result of completing this course you will have formed a coherent, defensible, ethical position as it applies to the practice of political communication. Students will specifically be able to:
- Ethically critique political claims and campaigns;
- Identify ethical challenges in political communication and navigate through those challenges; and
- Write short, clear and concise essays that boil complex ideas down to their most relevant component parts.
Grading
Short essays: Six worth 10% each (total 60%)
Final paper: 20%
Take home final exam: 10%
Participation: 10%
Exams
You will have a take home final exam. The final will likely present an ethical challenge to which you will be asked to respond.
The final exam will be a take home worth 10% of your final grade. It will be due at the end of the scheduled final exam period for the class.
Papers
You will have six short essays as indicated in schedule below. Your essay should be in Word or written in Google docs, no pdfs. Each essay should be no more than 500 words – I will stop reading at the 500th word and grade you on the essay to that point. Essays should be emailed and are due by the start of the class period they are due.
Each short essay will be worth 10% of your final grade
You will also have a final paper due by the start of class on April 21. I WILL NOT GRADE LATE PAPERS. For your final paper you should construct and defend an ethical foundation for your work – to what standard(s) will you hold yourself accountable in your career? Papers should be emailed.
Your final paper will be worth 20% of your final grade
Participation
You are expected to constructively add to the conversation, which means you should do, think about, and be prepared to talk about the readings. You are also expected to pay attention to the political world around you and think about it in terms of the course. You should have ideas and opinions and be able to defend them.
You will not be rewarded for just talking a lot.
Readings
Required:
Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice, ed. Peter Loge, Rowman & Littlefield 2020
Recommended:
On Writing Well by William Zinsser – a great about how to write well
The Elements of Style by Strunk and White – the go-to for writing
Watch The Good Place
Other readings are listed in the course schedule below, most are on Blackboard. In addition I may email articles or essays during the week that strike me as interesting and guest speakers may ask me to send around readings ahead of their discussions.
Attendance
You are expected to come to class and participate in class discussions.
Course Ethics
You have several ethical responsibilities in this course. This is a small group, in a small space, for several hours at a time. For this to work for all of us, each of us needs to do the readings and think about them. We must respect each other’s positions on the readings, and honor intellectual experiments (the “what if….” positions); that means people should be willing and able to change their minds, to defend their positions, and challenge the positions of others. Critically, one should never confuse an argument with the person making the argument – positions are not people. This means you should not attack people, only their claims and you should do so based on reasoning. Similarly, you should defend your positions as if they were ideas to be kicked around, not children to be protected.
Cheating and plagiarizing are not acceptable. They will be punished to the greatest extent permitted by The George Washington University policy. All exams, papers, and other work products are to be completed in conformance with The George Washington University Code of Academic Integrity.
Generative artificial intelligence presents its own ethical challenges that we will discuss over the semester. I expect your final essay will be yours, and yours alone. You may use generative AI to generate ideas or help you think through your paper – but I expect you will be sole author of your own work.
Misc
I work from the premise that you are all adults. You are responsible for everything that happens in class. If you miss a session, you should find a colleague from whom to get notes, readings, etc.
Important Note about Guest Speakers: As you can see below, we have a number of guest speakers throughout the semester. These speakers are coming in to talk to us – and only us. Unless the speaker explicitly and clearly says otherwise, all of the conversations are off the record. The goal of these conversations is to have honest and frank conversations in the classroom. These are opportunities to learn. These are not opportunities to try to break news, embarrass people, or show off.
Each of the speakers is a of friend mine. They are coming in to talk to you because I asked them to. Any violation of the expectations of a keeping this conversation in the room violates a trust my friends and I have developed over a number of years.
Schedule
Jan 17 Introductions and discussion
Jan 22 A Few Big Ideas: Consequentialism, Virtue Ethics and Deontology
Watch:
Consequentialism and Utilitarianism (The Good Place), Virtue Ethics, Deontology and here (The Good Place)
Read:
What is consequentialism? Think , Volume 8, Issue 21, Spring 2009 , pp. 19 – 28
Virtue Ethics, Think Volume 22, Issue 63, Spring 2023, pp. 15 – 21
Deontology The Ethics Centre and the BBC
Jan 24 Where we are
Read:
Yes, We Must Do Better (But It’s Not as Bad as You Think), Edward Brookover Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice
“The Ethical Responsibility of Consultants in this Moment” Oren Shur and Susan Del Percio Campaigns & Elections Dec. 14, 2020
Jan 29 First essay due and These Debates are Very Old
Ask a generative AI tool to analyze one or more ethical responsibilities of AI in political communication. Then write a response to the AI generated response. Neither essay should run more than 500 words, and you should turn in both.
Read:
Ancient Democracy and Ethical Persuasion, Kenneth R. Chase in Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice
Ethics and the Ends of Rhetoric, Janet M. Atwill in Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice
Institutio Oratoria Book XII – Quintilian
Jan 31 Rhetoric is truth plus its artful presentation
Read
“The Phaedrus” and the Nature of Rhetoric by Richard Weaver in The Ethics of Rhetoric by Richard Weaver, Echo Point Books and Media, 1953
Feb 5 A flexible disposition
Read:
Communication Ethics in Machiavelli, Alexander S. Duff in Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice
“Machiavellian Democracy: Controlling Elites with Ferocious Populism” John P. McCormick, American Political Science Review Vol 95 No 2, 2001
Feb 7 Second Essay Due:
Discuss a piece of contemporary political communication through the lens of one of the Greeks
Guest Speaker – Former Republican Operative
Feb 12 In defense of the indefensible
Read:
Politics and the English Language – available here and elsewhere – https://faculty.washington.edu/rsoder/EDLPS579/HonorsOrwellPoliticsEnglishLanguage.pdf
Feb 14 The room where it happened
Read:
Federalist 1, the US Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence. The Federalist Papers are here
https://www.congress.gov/resources/display/content/The+Federalist+Papers
Letter From a Birmingham Jail, Dr Martin Luther King, Jr., available here and elsewhere:
https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/letter-birmingham-jail
I trust you have copies of the Declaration and Constitution.
Feb 19 NO CLASS: Presidents Day
Feb 21 Third Essay Due:
Discuss a foundational document (one of the above of one of your choosing)
Your Take
Bring in and be prepared to discuss another foundational American document (i.e., Washington’s inaugural addresses or farewell address, Lincoln’s inaugural addresses, Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream,” the Seneca Falls “Declaration of Sentiments,” etc).
Feb 26 Guest Speaker
Leading political broadcast journalist and best selling author
Feb 28 Civil Religion
Read:
“Losing Our Civil Religion” John D. Carlson, Religion & Politics, Sept 26, 2017 http://religionandpolitics.org/2017/09/26/losing-our-civil-religion/
Optional reading
“Civil Religion as a Foundation for Political Communication” Peter Loge in Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice
March 4 Should you be civil?
Read:
“Civility and its Critics” Andy Smarick, The Bulwark, Jan 2, 2020 https://thebulwark.com/civility-and-its-critics/
“Civility is Overrated” Adam Serwer The Atlantic Dec 2019 https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/12/adam-serwer-civility/600784/
March 6 Guest Speaker
Former senior Trump appointee
March 11 No Class – Spring Break
March 13 No Class – Spring Break
March 18 Guest Speaker
March 20 Fourth Essay Due:
Discuss civility and its relationship to ethics, if any.
Norms
Read:
“Norms Matter” Brendan Nyhan, Politico Sept/Oct 2017 https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/09/05/why-norms-matter-politics-trump-215535/
“How the GOP Prompted the Decay of Political Norms” EJ Dionne, Norm Ornstein, and Thomas Mann, The Atlantic Sept 19, 2017 https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/09/gop-decay-of-political-norms/540165/
“Does elite rhetoric undermine democratic norms?” Katherine Clayton, Nicholas T. Davis, Brendan Nyhan, Ethan Porter, Timothy J. Ryan and Thomas J. Wood https://s.wsj.net/public/resources/documents/democratic-norms.pdf
March 25 Fifth Essay Due:
Write an essay attacking a candidate or elected official in ways that are substantive, strong, and that strengthen democratic norms or values.
Political Communication, Ethics and AI
Read:
Media Ethics Magazine, Spring 2023
Any three articles from this list
March 27 Case Study in Ethical Communication
Read:
The Rhetoric and Ethics of Political Communication: Freedom Summer as a Case Study in Moral Leadership, Mark L. McPhail in Political Communication Ethics: Theory ad Practice
April 1 Framing and agenda setting
Read:
Goalposts and Guardrails: A Mixed-Metaphor Guide to Ethics in Advocacy Campaigns, Elisa Massimino in Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice
April 3 Wash Your Hands
Read:
“Civic Responsibility or Self-Interest?” by Dale E. Miller and Stephen K. Medvic in Shades of Gray: Perspectives on Campaign Ethics ed. Candice J. Nelson, David A. Dulio and Stephen K. Medvic, Brookings Institution Press, 2002
April 8 Digital Ethics
Guest speaker: Former Republican digital operative
Read:
Overview of Digital Political Communication and Marketing
Jennifer Lees-Marshment and Vincent Raynauld in Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice
Identity Crisis: The Blurred Lines for Consumers and Producers of Digital Content, Cheryl Contee and Rosalyn Lemieux in Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice
April 10 Paging Cyrano de Bergerac
Read:
The Ethical Implications of the Presidential Speechwriter’s Metaphors: Michael Gerson’s “The First Sign of a Smoking Gun Might be a Mushroom Cloud” David A. Frank in Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice
Ethics in Political Speechwriting, Rachel Wallace in Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice
April 15 Lobbying
Read:
“Lobbying as a Legislative Subsidy” by Richard Hall and Alan Deardorff American Political Science Review Vol 100 No 1
The Ethics of Lobbying, Matthew L. Johnson and Israel S. Klein in Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice
“Who’s Helping Who in the Lobbying Game?” Case study at https://mediaethicsinitiative.org/2020/10/27/whos-helping-who-in-the-game-of-lobbying/
April 17 Guest Speaker
Progressive strategic communication consultant
April 22 Sixth Essay Due:
Make a case against one of the guest speakers
The limits of the law
Read:
Instructions Not Included: The Limited Function of Laws, Norms, and Political Incentives in Political Communications Ethics, Kip F. Wainscott in Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice
April 24 Guest Speaker
Former news media senior executive
April 29 Codes of conduct
A number of business, professional, political and communications organizations have codes of ethics. Identify one such code and be prepared to discuss and critique it in class. Organizations with codes include the American Association of Political Consultants (https://theaapc.org/) the Public Relations Society of America (https://www.prsa.org/ethics/code-of-ethics/), https://qedconsulting.com/component/content/article/104-services/products/160-global-ethics-and-integrity-benchmarks?Itemid=566, Accenture https://www.accenture.com/us-en/company-ethics-code, and the Society for Professional Journalists https://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp. There are many, many others as well.
May 1 Designated Monday
FINAL PAPER DUE: NO LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED
Spring 2021
The below syllabus is very much a draft and a work in progress. It has been edited to take out GW-specific details. I have also omitted guest speaker names.
Last updated 1-9-21
Political Communication Ethics
Spring 2021
Instructor: Peter Loge
ploge@gwu.edu
“The world is still in want of clear-headed citizens, tempered by historical perspective, disciplined by rational thinking and moral compass, who speak well and write plainly.”
- Lee Pelton, President of Emerson College
This course will raise the question of what, if any, ethical responsibility those who work in politics have, and to whom or what they have those responsibilities. The course will be a mix of theories about what counts as ethical communication in politics in the abstract, and specific situations in which you may find yourself in a career in politics.
You will be expected to do the readings, think about their connections to events in politics, and participate in class discussions. Quality of insight is better than quantity of words, and challenging questions and questioning of assumptions is always more interesting than just tagging along.
The success or failure of this class rests largely on you and your colleagues. If you listen closely to your peers, make unexpected connections, and take intellectual risks, the fall will be a very interesting conversation.
This course will raise the question of what, if any, ethical responsibility those who work in political communication have, and to whom or what they have those responsibilities. The course will be a mix of theories about what counts as ethical communication in politics in the abstract, and specific situations in which you may find yourself in a career in politics.
You will be expected to do the readings, think about their connections to events in politics, and participate in class discussions. Quality of insight is better than quantity of words, and challenging questions and questioning of assumptions is always more interesting than just tagging along.
The success or failure of this class rests largely on you and your colleagues. If you listen closely to your peers, make unexpected connections, and take intellectual risks, the spring will be a very interesting conversation.
Learning Outcomes
As a result of completing this course you will have formed a coherent, defensible, ethical position as it applies to the practice of political communication.
Grading
Short essays: Six worth 10% each (total 60%)
Major paper: 20%
Final: 10%
Participation: 10%
Exams
You will have a take home final exam. The final will likely present an ethical challenge to which you will be asked to respond.
The final exam will be a take home worth 10% of your final grade. It will be due at the end of the scheduled final exam period for the class (which is TBD).
Papers
You will have six short essays as indicated in schedule below. Each essay should be no more than 500 words – I will stop reading at the 500th word and grade you on the essay to that point. Essays should be emailed and are due by the start of the class period.
Each short essay will be worth 10% of your final grade
You will also have a final paper due by the start of class on April 22. NO LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED. For your final paper you should construct and defend an ethical foundation for your work – to what standard(s) will you hold yourself accountable in your career? Papers should be emailed and handed in on paper.
Your final paper will be worth 20% of your final grade
Participation
You are expected to constructively add to the conversation, which means you should do, think about, and be prepared to talk about the readings. You are also expected to pay attention to the political world around you and think about it in terms of the course. You should have ideas and opinions and be able to defend them.
You will not be rewarded for just talking a lot.
Participation will be worth 10% of your final grade.
Attendance
You are expected to come to class and participate in class discussions.
Misc
I work from the premise that you are all adults. You are responsible for everything that happens in class. If you miss a session, you should find a colleague from whom to get notes, readings, etc.
Important Note about Guest Speakers: As you can see below, we have a number of guest speakers throughout the semester. These speakers are coming in to talk to us – and only us. Unless the speaker explicitly and clearly says otherwise, all of the conversations are off the record. The goal of these conversations is to have honest and frank conversations in the classroom. These are opportunities to learn. These are not opportunities to try to break news, embarrass people, or show off.
Each of the speakers is a of friend mine. They are coming in to talk to you because I asked them to. Any violation of the expectations of a keeping this conversation in the room violates a trust my friends and I have developed over a number of years.
Schedule
Jan 12 Introductions and discussion
Jan 14 First essay due: Identify something you think violated political communication ethics, explain why it was a violation. Remember: I stop reading at 500 words, and no late essays will be accepted.
Where we are
Read:
Yes, We Must Do Better (But It’s Not as Bad as You Think), Edward Brookover Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice (Ed. Peter Loge, Rowman & Littlefield, 2020)
“The Ethical Responsibility of Consultants in this Moment” Oren Shur and Susan Del Percio Campaigns & Elections Dec. 14, 2020
Peruse: The “Five Questions” series on the Project on Ethics in Political Communication website (you can skip the self-promotional posts).
Jan 19 The room where it happened
Read: Federalist 1, the US Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence. The Federalist Papers are here https://www.congress.gov/resources/display/content/The+Federalist+Papers.
I trust you have copies of the Declaration and Constitution.
Jan 21 Good trouble
Read:
Letter From a Birmingham Jail, Dr Martin Luther King, Jr., available here and elsewhere:https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/letter-birmingham-jail
Bring in and be prepared to discuss another foundational American document (i.e., Washington’s inaugural addresses or farewell address, Lincoln’s inaugural addresses, Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream,” the Seneca Falls “Declaration of Sentiments,” etc).
Jan 26 Guest:
Senior Democratic strategist
Jan 28 Guest:
Conservative commentator and former Republican strategist
Redemption Song
Read:
“We in the ‘shallow state’ thought we could help. Instead, we obscured the reality of a Trump presidency.” Sarah Isgur, The Washington Post Dec. 23, 2020 https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/sarah-isgur-shallow-state-trump-doj/2020/12/23/e843da1a-4561-11eb-a277-49a6d1f9dff1_story.html
“Was It Worth It? John Kelly, John Bolton, and other ex–Trump staffers all had the same answer when I asked them to reflect on their past work.” Peter Nicholas, The Atlantic Dec 18, 2020https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/12/trumps-ex-staffers-have-no-regretseven-ones-he-fired/617418/
“The Resistance’s Breakup With the Media Is at Hand – The White House spent four years vilifying journalists. What comes next?” McKay Coppins The Atlantic Dec 29, 2020 https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/12/media-after-trump/617503/
Feb 2 These debates are very old
Read:
Ancient Democracy and Ethical Persuasion, Kenneth R. Chase in Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice
Ethics and the Ends of Rhetoric, Janet M. Atwill in Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice
Feb 4 Rhetoric is truth plus its artful presentation
Read
“The Phaedrus” and the Nature of Rhetoric by Richard Weaver in The Ethics of Rhetoric by Richard Weaver, Echo Point Books and Media, 1953
Feb 9 Second Essay Due: Discuss something in the news that ancients would agree or disagree with.
Feb 11 Guest:
Nationally recognized speechwriter
Read:
The Ethical Implications of the Presidential Speechwriter’s Metaphors: Michael Gerson’s “The First Sign of a Smoking Gun Might be a Mushroom Cloud” David A. Frank in Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice
Ethics in Political Speechwriting, Rachel Wallace in Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice
Feb 16 A flexible disposition
Read:
Communication Ethics in Machiavelli, Alexander S. Duff in Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice
Feb 18 Guest:
Former state legislator and lobbyist
Feb 23 In defense of the indefensible
Read:
Politics and the English Language – available here and elsewhere – https://faculty.washington.edu/rsoder/EDLPS579/HonorsOrwellPoliticsEnglishLanguage.pdf
Feb 25 Third Essay Due: Use Orwell to explain why a piece of contemporary political rhetoric is or is not ethical.
Civil Religion
Read:
“Civil Religion as a Foundation for Political Communication” Peter Loge in Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice
“Losing Our Civil Religion” John D. Carlson, Religion & Politics, Sept 26, 2017 http://religionandpolitics.org/2017/09/26/losing-our-civil-religion/
March 2 Should you be civil?
Read:
“Civility and its Critics” Andy Smarick, The Bulwark, Jan 2, 2020 https://thebulwark.com/civility-and-its-critics/
“Civility is Overrated” Adam Serwer The Atlantic Dec 2019 https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/12/adam-serwer-civility/600784/
“A Multi-Lingual America?” Danielle Allen, Soundings: An Interdisciplinary Journal, Fall/Winter 2004, Vol. 87, No. 3/4
March 4 Guest
Director of a national organization promoting civility and former Republican operative
March 9 Guest
Leading national political journalist
March 11 Fourth Essay Due: Discuss civility and its relationship to ethics, if any.
Ads
Read:
Ethics and Political Advertising, Lynda Lee Kaid in Political Communication Ethics: Any oxymoron? Ed. Robert Denton, Preager, 2000
March 16 and 18 – Spring Break
March 23 Guest
National strategic communications professional and former Republican Hill communications director
March 25 Fifth Essay Due: Write an essay attacking a candidate or elected official in ways that are substantive, strong, and that strengthen democratic norms or values.
Wash your hands
Read:
“Civic Responsibility or Self-Interest?” by Dale E. Miller and Stephen K. Medvic in Shades of Gray: Perspectives on Campaign Ethics ed. Candice J. Nelson, David A. Dulio and Stephen K. Medvic, Brookings Institution Press, 2002
March 30 Digital Ethics
Read:
“The Emerging Ethics of Digital Political Strategists” Luis Hestres, 2016 (pre-publication version on Blackboard)
Overview of Digital Political Communication and Marketing Jennifer Lees-Marshment and Vincent Raynauld in Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice
Identity Crisis: The Blurred Lines for Consumers and Producers of Digital Content, Cheryl Contee and Rosalyn Lemieux in Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice
April 1 Norms
Read:
“Norms Matter” Brendan Nyhan, Politco Sept/Oct 2017
“How the GOP Prompted the Decay of Political Norms” EJ Dionne, Norm Ornstein, and Thomas Mann, The Atlantic Sept 19, 2017 https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/09/gop-decay-of-political-norms/540165/
“Does elite rhetoric undermine democratic norms?” Katherine Clayton, Nicholas T. Davis, Brendan Nyhan, Ethan Porter, Timothy J. Ryan and Thomas J. Wood https://s.wsj.net/public/resources/documents/democratic-norms.pdf
April 6 Guest:
Award winning journalist and author
April 8 Lobbying
Read:
“Lobbying as a Legislative Subsidy” by Richard Hall and Alan Deardorff American Political Science Review Vol 100 No 1
The Ethics of Lobbying, Matthew L. Johnson and Israel S. Klein in Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice
“Who’s Helping Who in the Lobbying Game?” Case study at https://mediaethicsinitiative.org/2020/10/27/whos-helping-who-in-the-game-of-lobbying/
April 13 Sixth Essay Due: Make a case against one of the guest speakers
Framing and agenda setting
Read:
Goalposts and Guardrails: A Mixed-Metaphor Guide to Ethics in Advocacy Campaigns, Elisa Massimino in Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice
April 15 The limits of the law
Read:
Instructions Not Included: The Limited Function of Laws, Norms, and Political Incentives in Political Communications Ethics, Kip F. Wainscott in Political Communication Ethics: Theory and Practice
April 20 Guest
TBD
April 22 Codes of conduct
A number of business, professional, political and communications organizations have codes of ethics. Identify one such code and be prepared to discuss and critique it in class. Organizations with codes include the American Association of Political Consultants (https://theaapc.org/) the Public Relations Society of America (https://www.prsa.org/ethics/code-of-ethics/), https://qedconsulting.com/component/content/article/104-services/products/160-global-ethics-and-integrity-benchmarks?Itemid=566, Accenture https://www.accenture.com/us-en/company-ethics-code, and the Society for Professional Journalists https://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp. There are many, many others as well.
April 27 FINAL PAPER DUE: NO LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED