fall 2004 composition: request for suggestions

Because I have to put this course together rather quickly, I could use your help, gentle reader:

  • What readings on blogs and blogging should I assign?
  • What political blogs (of all stripes) should students be encouraged to read?
  • What critiques of the media should they read and/or view?
  • What online archives of campaign rhetoric (in word or image, still or moving) should they visit?

I am after sources of information that reflect a range of political positions.

And while I’m discussing rhetoric and composition, check out today’s post from Calamity Jane on using episodes from Law and Order in the classroom to help students understand argumentation.

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10 thoughts on “fall 2004 composition: request for suggestions

  1. I recommend these liberal blogs:
    AlterNet
    Common Dreams
    Daily Kos
    Fafblog
    Political Animal
    Salon.com
    The Gadflyer
    This Modern World

  2. I’ll throw out a few suggestions at a time, but many of my students found Andrew Sullivan interesting, and he’s an interesting case for a “conservative” blogger. If I’m not mistaken, he’s made the case that John Kerry is truer to what he believes conservatism to be (balanced budgets, etc), and of course his HIV+, pro-gay marriage identity politics diverge considerably from Republican values.
    I also directed students to Rachel Lucas (who would probably identify as libertarian) and Joanne Jacobs, with some success. Salon has a great article on political blogs at the Democratic convention. I’ll try to dig around for the URL.

  3. In terms of archives, the Memory Hole has some useful material. One of the better campaign blogs is “Blogging of the Presidency.” I know the author openly supports Kerry, but he also attempts to track polls, etc, on a more general, objective level.
    I’m starting to use this blog entry for my own brainstorming purposes–perhaps I ought to start my own blog entry….

  4. Columbia Journalism Review‘s Campaign Desk is a must, as is Jay Rosen’s PressThink.
    Don’t know if either of these would work for what you’re envisioning for your class, but last semester in Unger’s Press, Politics & Public Policy class, we read Unsilent Revolution: Television News and American Public Life by Robert J. Donovan and Ray Scherer & Breaking the News: How the American Media Undermine Democracy by James Fallows. We also had a RooPack (or whatever they’re calling them now) that I can’t seem to find right now, but Unger might also be a good sounding board for you, if you can get in touch with him before the semester starts.
    I also really love The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect by Bill Kovach & Tom Rosenstiel. I think all of those are in Miller Nichols.
    And I haven’t read it yet, but Dan Gillmor’s We the Media: Grassroots Journalism by the People, for the People looks interesting. The whole book is online.

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