Class Regulation and Public Policy

1 - Critically analyse regulatory models in the context of Media and Information Literacy (MIL); 2 - Understand the concept of public policies, their instruments and forms of implementation; 3 - Critically analyse educational discourses in the context of MIL, their debates and challenges; 4 - Identify significant practices for implementing MIL at the national level; 5 - Analyse national MIL plans from the perspective of their interaction with public policies and regulatory models. 6 - Consider the challenges and speed of regulation and public policy in the age of AI, including ethical and responsible foundations.

Not applicable

1. Introduction to the policy process 1.1. What is public policy? 1.2. The political agenda and the policy cycle 1.3 Policy instruments 1.4. Policy implementation, analysis and evaluation 2. Policy analysis in MIL 2.1. National and European regulatory models - theory and practice 2.2. Discourses on media regulation and MIL 2.3. Development of public policies on MIL in the European Union (focus on processes) 2.4. Development of intergovernmental and international policies (focus on processes) 3. Case studies 3.1. National policy development processes 3.2. Selected case studies among Member States 4. Debates and dilemmas in MIL policies 4.1. Science, technology and ICT in the context of public policy 4.2. Self-regulation versus co-regulation 4.3. The new tasks of independent regulatory authorities 4.4. Multi-stakeholder participation: promises and shortcomings.

The course unit is taught using expository methodologies (e.g. frameworks, concepts...), demonstrative methodologies (good practices, models, policies...) and active methodologies (application of knowledge in the discussion of model definitions, in the preparation and presentation of scientific papers...). Individual and group work is prioritised, which will be presented and discussed in class. The main pedagogical techniques will be the presentation and analysis of topics, discussion of case studies, brainstorming, group dynamics and practical exercises.

Brown, I. & Marsden, C. (2013). Regulating Code: Good Governance and Better Regulation in the Information Age. Cambridge, Mass: The MIT Press. Caron, A. & Cohen, R. (2013). Regulating Screens: Issues in Broadcasting and Internet Governance for Children. Montreal: McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. European Audiovisual Observatory (2016). "Mapping of Media Literacy Practices and Actions in EU-28.". Frau-Meigs, D., Velez, I. & Michel, J. (2017). Public Policies in Media and Information Literacy in Europe: Cross-Country Comparisons. Routledge. Lunt, K. & Livingstone, S. (2011). Media Regulation: Governance and the Interests of Citizens and Consumers. 1st ed. London: Sage Publications Ltd. Sousa, M., Trützschler, W., Fidalgo, J. & Lameiras, M. (2013). Media Regulators in Europe: A Cross-Country Comparative Analysis. Braga: University of Minho. Tomé, V. (2016). Media education in Portuguese curricula. The Journal of Media Literacy, 63, 1-2, 42-49. Disponível em http://goo.gl/8Xlx4J