When the President Speaks: Perspectives on Foreign Policy and Global Communication
President Trump’s rhetoric and his use of social media have brought a renewed focus on how US foreign policy is communicated to the world. This course will examine how the administration communicates key global policies and how these messages are covered abroad. Through case studies from World War II through the Obama administration, students will gain historical context on how past presidents have articulated and disseminated foreign policy to leverage public diplomacy. This course will use source materials and real-time developments in readings and active class discussions.
You'll Walk Away with
- An understanding of President Trump’s use of public communication and public diplomacy in support of foreign policy, in historical perspective
- The ability to analyze the effect of presidential rhetoric on domestic and global audiences and its ultimate influence on global foreign affairs
- People who are interested in the role of public communication in world affairs
- General public audiences interested in the Trump presidency and foreign policy
- Students and professionals with specific academic and/or career interests in public diplomacy