COURSE OUTLINE AND READING



Freedom of Expression - Com. 3070

|[pic] | |

| |Richard A. Gershon, Ph.D. |

| |School of Communication, Sprau 324 |

| |Western Michigan University |

| |1903 West Michigan Ave. |

| |Kalamazoo, MI 49008 |

| | |

| |Tel. (269) 387-3182 (Office) |

| |Fax. (269) 387-3990 |

| |Email: Richard.Gershon@wmich.edu |

| |Web Site: |

| |Office Hours: Wed. 2:30-5:00PM |

| |or by Appointment |

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course examines the meaning, scope and challenge of “free expression” in the American experience. Beginning with the historical and philosophical roots of the U.S. Constitution

and the First Amendment, we will critically examine how the courts, writers, politicians,

artists and social activists have interpreted and applied these rights to a number of controversial issues. Topics will include prior restraint, political and social commentary, artistic expression, symbolic speech, due process and reporter’s privilege. Another goal of this course is to examine the deeper and richer question; what does it mean to be an American? We look at such issues as the importance of civic engagement.

REQUIRED READINGS AND MATERIALS

Readings

The main set of readings will be available directly on-line via the Internet for your use

Course Pack - Power Point Presentations

A Com. 3070 course pack containing power point slides will be available for purchase at

the WMU campus bookstore. It will be available under the heading

Freedom of Expression (Com. 3070) Course Notes

COURSE OUTLINE AND READING

Week of:

I. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION: Historical Lens and Perspective

May 7. The American Revolutionary War: Causes and Consequences

• The Causes

• Battles of Lexington and Concord

• 3rd Continental Congress

• The Declaration of Independence

• Battle of Yorktown

o John Adams I. (Film)

May 9 American Political Thought

• George Washington

• John Adams

• Thomas Jefferson

• Alexander Hamilton

• Federalists v. Democratic Republicans

o John Adams II. (Film)

The U.S. Constitution

• Constitutional Beginnings

• The Role of James Madison

• Separation of Powers

• The Bill of Rights

o 1st Amendment and Due Process

May 14 The First Amendment

• The Press

• News Media and the 4th Estate

• Prior Restraint

o John Peter Zenger

• Implied Rights

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End of Unit I.

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May 16 EXAM I.

Thursday

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II. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION: Political Science Lens and Perspective

May 16 The Politics of Expression I. Prior Restraint

• Political Dissent is Not Absolute

• The Alien Sedition Act of 1798

• Freedom of Speech and the Antislavery Cause

o Reverend Elijah Lovejoy

o William Lloyd Garrison

o Cassius Marcellus Clay

• Espionage Act of 1917

• Schenk v. U.S., 1919

o Clear and Present Danger Standard

• Alien Registration Act (Smith Act), 1940

• McCarthyism (Red Scare Period) 1951-1954

• U.S.A. Patriot Act, 2001

o Murrow v. McCarthy (Doc.)

May 21 The Politics of Expression II. Public Assembly and Civil Disobedience

• Political Activism

• Susan B. Anthony, Women’s Suffrage

• Eugene Debs, IWW

• Margaret Sanger, Planned Parenthood

• McCarthyism and the Hollywood 10

• Martin Luther King, SCLC

o I Have a Dream - speech

o I’ve Been to the Mountaintop - speech

• The 1968 Democratic National Convention, Chicago

• Kent State Shootings, 1970

• The Tea Party Movement, 2009

• The Occupy Movement, 2011

o Tom Brokaw / The 1960’s (Doc.)

May 23 TBD

May 28. The Politics of Expression III. The Public’s Right to Know

• From Muckrackers to Investigative Journalists

• Public’s Right to Know

o N.Y. Times v. U.S., (Pentagon Papers) 1971

o Watergate, 1974

• Reporter’s Privilege

o Contempt of Court

o Shield Laws

o Freedom of Information Act

• Media Responsibility

o The Debbie Almontaser Case

o News of the World Phone-hacking Scandal

o Julian Assange, Wikileaks

o The Newsroom (Lead-in)

o Watergate (Doc.)

o Julian Assange Interview (Doc.)

The Politics of Expression IV. Presidential Addresses

Presidential Addresses

• Abraham Lincoln

o Gettysburg Address

• Franklin Roosevelt

o Declaring War on Japan

• John Kennedy

o Inauguration Speech

o Cuban Missile Crisis

• Ronald Reagan

o Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster

o Presentation at the Berlin Wall

• Bill Clinton

o Oklahoma City Bombing

• Barak Obama

o Presidential post-Election Speech, 2008

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End of Unit II.

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May 30 EXAM II.

(Thursday)

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III. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION: Legal Lens and Perspective

May 30 Symbolic Speech I.

• United States v. O'Brien, 1968

o Burning Military Draft Cards

• Texas v. Johnson, 1989

o Burning the U.S. Flag

Symbolic Speech II. Rites and Rituals -- Remembering the Fallen

• Shrines and Monuments

o Maya Lin, the Vietnam Memorial

o Maya Lin (Doc.)

• Military Honors

o Taking Chance (Film)

• 911 / World Trade Center Memorial

o Proposed Islamic Community Center

June 4 Hate Speech

• Chaplinksi v. New Hampshire, 1942

o Fighting Words Doctrine

• Brandenburg v. Ohio, 1969

o Inciting People to Riot

• The March on Skokie, IL.,1977

o Freedom to Assemble

• Doe v. The University of Michigan, 1989

o Political Correctness and University Speech Codes

• RAV. v. The City of St. Paul, MN, 1992

o St. Paul Bias Motivated Crime Ordinance

• Westboro Baptist Church, 2011

o Freedom to Assemble

June 6 Due Process

• The Court of Public Opinion

• Charles Lindberg Case

o State of New Jersey v. Richard Bruno Hauptman

• O.J. Simpson Case

• Wrongful Conviction

o Withholding Evidence

o Misidentification and False Testimony

• Duke University Rape Case

• The Innocence Project

• Ronald Cotton and Jennifer Thomas

• Michael Morton

o Duke University (Doc.)

o Michael Morton (Doc.)

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End of Unit III.

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June 11 EXAM III.

(Tuesday)

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IV. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION: Comm. Arts Lens and Perspective

June 11 American Originals I. Painters and Photographers

June 13

• Norman Rockwell, painter and illustrator

• Ansel Adams, photographer

• Dorthea Lange, photographer

• Sabra Field, painter

• LeRoy Neiman, painter

• R.C. Gorman, painter

• Annie Leibovitz, photographer

• Stephen Holland, painter

American Originals II: Actors and Actresses

• Clint Eastwood

o Dirty Harry

o It’s Half Time in America

• Meryl Streep

o The Devil Wears Prada

o The Iron Lady

• Jack Nicholson

o Five Easy Pieces

o A Few Good Men

• Marissa Tomei

o My Cousin Vinny

• Viola Davis

o The Help

• Tina Fey

o Sara Palin

• James Earl Jones

o Field of Dreams

o Voice of Darth Vadar, Mustafa

• Tom Hanks

o A League of their Own

o Philadelphia

June 13 The Mythology of the American Super Hero

• Symbolic Language

• The Hero of a Thousand Faces

• The Call to Action

• The Hero’s Journey

• The Role of Super Heroes and Myth

o The Tale of Superman

o Star Wars Legacy

o From Spiderman to Buffy the Vampire Slayer

o Star Wars (Doc.)

June 18 Civic Engagement: From Superheroes to Everyday Heroes

Principles of Civic Engagement,

• The Everyday Hero: 5 Great American Tales

• Adventure:

o Neil Armstrong and the Apollo Space Mission to the Moon

• Courage

o Freedom Riders

o The NYC Firemen of 911

• Athletics

o U.S. Women’s Soccer, World Cup, 1992

o U.S. Men’s Hockey, 1980 Olympic Winter Games

o Miracle on Ice (Doc.)

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End of Unit IV.

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June 20 EXAM IV.

(Thursday)

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Use of Laptop Computers:

In addition to power point slides, taking good notes is essential in this class. If using a laptop computer is helpful, I encourage you to do so. However, if you use your laptop computer

(or smart phone) for any other purpose other than taking notes (and the occasional in-class assignment), I would request that you leave your computer at home for the duration of the class. The rationale for this is simple. Surfing the web (or checking email) during class is both unprofessional and disrespectful to both your peers as well as me. I have every confidence that this won’t be an issue.

Evaluation:

There will be four exams. Each exam is worth 25% of your final grade.

Attendance:

Very simply. Attendance makes a difference... You are permitted two excused absences –

no questions asked. Please use your excused absences carefully for personal and professional

commitments. There will be 3-4 attendance checks throughout the semester. Each attendance check is worth 2 pts. added to your total point score. After the third missed attendance,

I will deduct 4 pts., thereafter, for each missed absence from class. Missed classes become especially important later in the semester for purposes of gauging one’s overall performance.

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Grading Scale:

93-100 A 70-75 C

87- 92 B/A 65-69 D/C

82- 86 B 60-64 D

76- 81 C/B -59 E

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