Veidlapa Nr. M-3 (8)
Study Course Description

Lobbying and Advocacy in Health Communication

Main Study Course Information

Course Code
KSK_222
Branch of Science
Library Science; Media and communications
ECTS
3.00
Target Audience
Information and Communication Science
LQF
Level 7
Study Type And Form
Full-Time

Study Course Implementer

Course Supervisor
Structure Unit Manager
Structural Unit
Faculty of Social Sciences
Contacts

Dzirciema street 16, Rīga, szf@rsu.lv

About Study Course

Objective

The aim of the course is to improve the graduate students’ understanding of the nature and methods of advocacy, to develop understanding of the advocacy as an instrument of democracy that allows various interest groups to access decision-makers and to influence political decisions at different levels. An insight is provided as to how the lobbying is used in settling social problems and in health communication within the framework of the use of ecological models.

Preliminary Knowledge

“Public Administration” or “Public Communication” at Bachelor’s level.

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge

1.• Knowledge and understanding of advocacy, its nature and methods. • Knowledge of democratic instruments for advocacy as to how access decision-makers and influence political processes. • Knowledge of lobbying theory and methods, use of lobbying in solving social problems and health communication.

Skills

1.• Identify and critically analyse problem situations. • Recognise and analyse the features of advocacy or lobbying techniques in social problems and health communication process. • Choose the most suitable advocacy or lobbying approaches and methods in accordance with the problem situation and explain its choice in a reasoned way. • Develop an advocacy strategy and draw up a lobbying campaign.

Competences

1.Analyse and evaluate complicated practical cases in the field of advocacy / lobbying; identify the interests of each stakeholder, conflicts between different points of view and interests and their impact on social or political processes. Using advocacy and lobbying methods, develop a lobbying campaign for health communication to achieve specific goals.

Assessment

Individual work

Title
% from total grade
Grade
1.

Individual work

-
-
Prepare the analysis of two cases and develop a lobbying campaign for settling a social problem that was identified and chosen by them. In order to evaluate the quality of the study course as a whole, the student must fill out the study course evaluation questionnaire on the Student Portal.

Examination

Title
% from total grade
Grade
1.

Examination

-
-
1. lecture and seminar attendance – 20%; 2. participation in seminar discussions – 30%; 3. group or individual presentation – 50%.

Study Course Theme Plan

FULL-TIME
Part 1
  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Legal basis of lobbying and ethics.
  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Culture and ethics of political communication. Code of ethics in health care and pharmaceutical industry.
  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

History of lobbying and development of the understanding of the concept.
  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Public choice theory. The capture theory and the theory of economic regulation.
  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Patterns of behaviour in corporate policy. Impact function and control acquisition, bargaining and auction strategy.
  1. Lecture

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Persuasion rivalry and innovation competition. The basis of lobbying – information, communication and reputation. Lobbying channels and phases.
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Factors determining lobbying outcomes. Their research and forecasting.
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Analysis of theoretical approaches.
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Analysis of advocacy strategy.
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Analysis of advocacy strategy.
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Development of advocacy strategies.
  1. Class/Seminar

Modality
Location
Contact hours
On site
Auditorium
2

Topics

Development of advocacy strategies.
Total ECTS (Creditpoints):
3.00
Contact hours:
24 Academic Hours
Final Examination:
Exam (Written)

Bibliography

Required Reading

1.

Bruce I. Newman and Dejan, Vercic. Communication of Politics: Cross-Cultural Theory Building in the Practice of Public Relations and Political Marketing, 2003.

2.

David L. Swanson, Dan Nimmo. New Directions In Political Communication. A Resource Book., 1997.

3.

Schneider, Maik T. "Interest-group size and legislative lobbying." Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 2014. 106: 29-41. doi:10.1016/j.jebo.2017.05.007.

4.

Shaw, Jane S. "Public Choice Theory, by Jane S. Shaw: The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics." Library of Economics and Liberty, 2002. Skatīts 13.05.2017.

5.

Stephenson, Matthew C., un Howell E. Jackson. [b.g.] "Lobbyists as imperfect agents: implications for public policy in a pluralist system." Harvard Journal on Legislation 47. Skatīts: 27.04.2017.

6.

Victor, Jennifer N. "Strategic LobbyingDemonstrating How Legislative Context Affects Interest Groups' Lobbying Tactics." 2007. American Politics Research 35 (6): 826-845. doi:10.1177/1532673X07300681.

7.

Ward, Hugh. "A Game-Theoretical Investigation of Lobbying and the Measurement of Power." 2004. Journal of Theoretical Politics 16 (1): 31-52. doi:10-1177/0951629804038901.