Skip to main content

Lobbying and Advocacy in Health Communication

Study Course Description

Course Description Statuss:Approved
Course Description Version:8.00
Study Course Accepted:02.02.2024 12:25:24
Study Course Information
Course Code:KSK_222LQF level:Level 7
Credit Points:2.00ECTS:3.00
Branch of Science:Communication Sciences; Library ScienceTarget Audience:Information and Communication Science
Study Course Supervisor
Course Supervisor:Vita Savicka
Study Course Implementer
Structural Unit:Faculty of Social Sciences
The Head of Structural Unit:
Contacts:Dzirciema street 16, Rīga, szfatrsu[pnkts]lv
Study Course Planning
Full-Time - Semester No.1
Lectures (count)6Lecture Length (academic hours)2Total Contact Hours of Lectures12
Classes (count)6Class Length (academic hours)2Total Contact Hours of Classes12
Total Contact Hours24
Study course description
Preliminary Knowledge:
“Public Administration” or “Public Communication” at Bachelor’s level.
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.
Topic Layout (Full-Time)
No.TopicType of ImplementationNumberVenue
1Legal basis of lobbying and ethics.Lectures1.00auditorium
2Culture and ethics of political communication. Code of ethics in health care and pharmaceutical industry.Lectures1.00auditorium
3History of lobbying and development of the understanding of the concept.Lectures1.00auditorium
4Public choice theory. The capture theory and the theory of economic regulation.Lectures1.00auditorium
5Patterns of behaviour in corporate policy. Impact function and control acquisition, bargaining and auction strategy.Lectures1.00auditorium
6Persuasion rivalry and innovation competition. The basis of lobbying – information, communication and reputation. Lobbying channels and phases.Lectures1.00auditorium
7Factors determining lobbying outcomes. Their research and forecasting.Classes1.00auditorium
8Analysis of theoretical approaches.Classes1.00auditorium
9Analysis of advocacy strategy.Classes2.00auditorium
10Development of advocacy strategies.Classes2.00auditorium
Assessment
Unaided 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.
Assessment Criteria:
1. lecture and seminar attendance – 20%; 2. participation in seminar discussions – 30%; 3. group or individual presentation – 50%.
Final Examination (Full-Time):Exam (Written)
Final Examination (Part-Time):
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge:• 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:• 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.
Competencies: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.
Bibliography
No.Reference
Required Reading
1Bruce I. Newman and Dejan, Vercic. Communication of Politics: Cross-Cultural Theory Building in the Practice of Public Relations and Political Marketing, 2003.
2David L. Swanson, Dan Nimmo. New Directions In Political Communication. A Resource Book., 1997.
3Schneider, 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.
4Shaw, Jane S. "Public Choice Theory, by Jane S. Shaw: The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics." Library of Economics and Liberty, 2002. Skatīts 13.05.2017.
5Stephenson, 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.
6Victor, Jennifer N. "Strategic LobbyingDemonstrating How Legislative Context Affects Interest Groups' Lobbying Tactics." 2007. American Politics Research 35 (6): 826-845. doi:10.1177/1532673X07300681.
7Ward, 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.