Syllabus (Winter 2023/Spring 2024)
Overview
This is a project-based course for students interested in exploring the unique challenges of global reporting, with a focus on critical analysis of current norms and experimentation with innovating the practice. The course is an opportunity to experience and practice global reporting and examine the nature of international news.
The course offers students opportunities to experiment with new forms of global journalism, like solutions-focused reporting, and takes a critical approach to “foreign parachute reporting” techniques. Students will examine real-world examples of ethical issues in international reporting. We will use case studies to examine the rich philosophical and economic elements of this unique field of reporting. We will address issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion through discussions and examples. We will question the norms and practices common in global journalism and work to create close collaborations. This is a chance to think about global issues and to practice a deeply connected local approach to journalism.
All students must abide by the Global Reporting Program’s Ethics Guidelines.
The class will be structured around a two-term project. We will endeavour to publish the project in the spring.
Course objectives
- To identify global journalism, understand how to research and report on complex global issues and mobilize research to broad global audiences
- To inform students about the practices and behaviours of global journalists in the reporting of global issues, from conceptual considerations to collaborative journalistic practice
- To familiarize students with safety protocols, technical skills, practical strategies and journalistic practices to adequately contend with possible field reporting and working in challenging circumstances
- To examine the changing role of global journalism in societies, understand different forms and definitions of global journalism and explore the different ways stories are addressed for local, national and global audiences
Course topic
Sport is transformational: for the athletes, spectators, and host cities of major events like the Olympics and FIFA World Cup. Hosting an international mega-event is an opportunity for urban planners to redevelop housing and transit to create a more equitable and inclusive city — but it doesn’t always turn out that way. City officials have used the transformational opportunity of hosting a mega-event to push through policies that impact vulnerable communities long after the fans have flown home.
This year’s GRP course will delve into how sporting events — with a look ahead and focus on the 2024 summer Olympics — impact city planning and housing, from the demolition of affordable housing and mass displacement, to the criminalization of homelessness. This topic is an opportunity to combine human rights and investigative reporting with a deep-dive look into the world of sports.
Course structure
Students will meet in-person weekly for two hours in class with instructors on Wednesdays from 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific Time. Students will also have weekly student-led meetings from 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM Pacific Time on Mondays — these can be in-person or remote (at your discretion). Student work on the project will continue until the end of April 2024.
Course work will require collaboration. You will be working with fellow students and faculty members to create professional-quality journalism. You will be expected to incorporate the ideas of others into your project. This course requires a significant time commitment, level of research/rigor and energy. You are working to create a publishable work of journalism.
Understanding how to work collaboratively is critical for journalists, researchers and scholars who plan to work in the field of global affairs, and students will have a two-semester-long experience of working closely with their classmates and professors to produce an exceptional piece of journalism/knowledge mobilization. Students will dive deep into research and data to determine how to surface, rank and then pursue stories.
All shared reporting documents (eg, contact list, literature list, interview notes, etc.) will be kept in a shared Google Drive folder. Student communication will be done on Slack. All grading will be on Canvas.
Grades
Think of this course like a newsroom — your pitches, stories, research, and reporting will be edited and revised until they meet the editorial standards required for publication. Therefore, the emphasis will be on feedback and support instead of standard graded evaluations. If you submit an assignment that does not meet ethical, editorial, or academic standards, you will be asked to revise.
You will submit self-assessments each quarter that reflect on your contributions to the class/project. In this assessment you will complete a written reflection. Assessments will be submitted to the teaching team and discussed each quarter. We will talk through your successes, contributions, any questions you have, and any areas of improvement.
Assignments
Participation - Class attendance is mandatory. We will begin promptly at 9:30 AM every Wednesday. If you must miss a class, you must inform instructors beforehand. We also expect all students to participate in Monday lab sessions, which are student-led workshops/editorial meetings. (10%) (5% per semester)
Reporting Memo - This is a research paper that explains the reporting and research you have completed so far. We require you to cite, at minimum, 20 individual and varied sources (academic papers, grey papers, reports, journalism, data, etc.) and contextualize how that source informs your project: Why is this source important? What are the key elements/findings? Potential biases? You must also include interviews completed, key findings and quotes from those interviews, and a description of how it ties to the overall project. Due October 18, 2023. (15%)
Research and Reporting - Your first term will be spent researching and reporting in preparation for fieldwork. This will include a number of assignments including, reviewing/reading relevant literature (primary and secondary sources), maintaining contact lists, interviewing sources, transcribing interviews, and preparing story pitches. Contributions will be made constantly and will change depending on the requirements of the project. (15%)
Pre-Production - As we get closer to conducting fieldwork, we will have a number of reporting planning documents, including a reporting/production schedule, budget, prepared questions, and safety protocols. (10%)
Post-Production - Your second term will be spent in post-production. This will include a number of assignments/tasks including, organizing media, writing/preparing drafts (in a variety of formats/mediums), preparing assets (photography, videos, data etc.), revisions and editing, preparing a communications plan, and fact-checking. (50%)
Travel
We intend to travel in December (tentative dates December 6-17, 2023). We will immediately begin the process of securing access (sources, visas, etc.) and making travel arrangements (including flights, accommodations and security). We will follow UBC’s protocols around global travel and safety practice.
Pandemic conditions could impact travel. Please note we will work closely with UBC and global health authorities to determine if/how/when travel may be permitted. All travel-related costs will be covered by the program, except food. Students should budget at least $500 CAD in out-of-pocket costs, including any potential vaccinations needed and food in the field. Each team will be given a fieldwork budget, and team members are responsible for crafting budgets for review and approval by the teaching team and abiding by them. As aforementioned, travel is never required. Travel is also not guaranteed. It is contingent on completion of all first-term course work to a high quality and ethical standard