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Course syllabus Political communication: Information influence as a security problem – reading course

Swedish name: Politisk kommunikation: Informationspåverkan som säkerhetsproblem - läskurs

Course code:
2SS079
Valid from semester:
Spring Term 2024
Education cycle:
Second cycle
Scope:
7.5 credits
Progression:
A1N
Grading scale:
Three-grade scale
Main field of study:
Political Science: Security Studies
Department:
Department of Political Science and Law
Subject:
Political Science
Language of instruction:
The teaching is conducted in English.
Decided by:
Forsknings- och utbildningsnämndens kursplaneutskott (KUS)
Decision date:
2023-06-13

Entry requirements

Bachelor's degree worth 180 credits, of which 90 credits are in Political Science or another relevant subject. English proficiency equivalent to English 6 or English B is also required.

Course content and structure

The organized spread of harmful information in the digital sphere by authoritarian states and other actors, including in connection with elections, is increasingly seen as a serious problem among scholars. The aim of this course is to provide the student with deepened knowledge – empirical, theoretical, conceptual - on the particular kind of political communication that can be labelled ‘information influence’. The student will learn about how projection of political messages across national borders can threaten societal cohesion, democracy and security. The problem is situated in a historical context, in order to distinguish modern information influence from traditional propaganda.

The course provides knowledge on differences between legitimate political communication and malign information influence, including disinformation and heavily skewed illiberal communication. The course problematizes the role of social media and private companies such as Facebook in spreading problematic information.

The student is presented with dilemmas in regards to the countering of harmful information influence. The course also situates the problem within the field of security studies and adjacent fields.

The course consists of self-directed learning.

The teacher provides support in the form of instructions for reading, which are intended to help the student to structure the work. The teacher also clarifies how different parts of the literature hangs together and how texts can be read to facilitate learning.

Type of Instruction
  • Independent Study

Objectives

Upon completion of the course the student should be able to:

Knowledge and understanding:
  • in a deepened way account for and discuss cases of, and relevant conceptualizations and theoretical perspectives on, flows of information as a political problem in the realm of security, from the viewpoint of security studies and adjacent academic fields,

Skills and competence:
  • identify and discuss political and ethical dilemmas in the scientific study and political management of information influence,

Judgement and approach:
  • in a deepened way assess to what extent information influence threatens different values and referent objects and when information influence is to be seen as a security problem.

Examination formats

The course is examined through a written take-home examination and through an oral examination.

The examiner may decide to request supplementary assignments in order to achieve a passing grade on the course. Examination papers submitted after the closing date will not be graded unless special circumstances exist that are acceptable to the examiner.

Supplementary assignments shall be submitted no later than three working days after the result and supplementary assignment for the examination in question have been notified, unless special circumstances exist that are acceptable to the examiner.

Grading
Grading takes place through a three-point grading scale: Fail (U), Pass (G) and Pass with Distinction (VG).

To achieve the grade Pass (G), the student has to achieve a pass on the written and oral examination. To achieve a the grade Pass with distinction (VG) the student must, in addition to the demands for a Pass (G), achieve a Pass with

distinction on the written examination.

Grading criteria are reported at the latest at the start of the course.

There is no limit on the total number of examination opportunities.

Transitional provisions

When the course is no longer offered or when the course content has changed substantially, the student has the right to be examined once per semester during a three-term period in accordance with this syllabus.

Other regulations

The course cannot be included in a degree with another course whose content fully or partially corresponds to the content of this course.

If the Swedish Defence University has formally decided that the student is entitled to receive special educational suppor due to a disability, the examiner may decide on alternative forms of examination for the student.

Upon completion of the course, an evaluation will be conducted under the auspices of the Course Convenor, which will form the basis for any changes to the course.

This is an edited version of the syllabus, created to transfer the original to the education database Ladok education planning. For originals, refer to the archive.