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Ethics in communications

ECTS: 5

Year/Semester: 1 . years, 2 . semester

Total hours: 60

Lecturers

Asst. Prof. Tamara Kunić

Course objectives

The aim of the course is to provide students with knowledge about ethical and moral communication decision-making, to enable them to navigate the space of interpersonal and public communication, and to develop critical and analytical thinking about issues of communication ethics in the space of contemporary media.

Ethical communication is a type of communication characterized by values such as truthfulness, conciseness, and responsibility for the effects of the speech act. Every verbal or non-verbal communication act of participants in public communication, journalists, citizens, and media personalities, involves an ethical choice that has minor or major consequences. Gossip, backbiting, shaming, insulting, lying, ridicule, and belittling are examples of unethical communication with consequences that are regulated by law. Communication in business organizations as well as political communication represent a particularly sensitive area and require a high level of ethical reflection. Through the quality and ethics of communication, individuals present themselves, as well as the systems they represent, and cooperation, trust, and acceptance of the values presented will often depend on the ethics of communication. In the world of modern media, the Internet, social networks, citizen journalism and other possible forms of interactive participation in the public communication space, integrity as the highest value that determines one's reputation is defined by acting in accordance with clear moral principles to which the communicator is consistently faithful.

With these premises, the goal of the course is to increase students' awareness of ethical problems in modern communication in the age of the Internet and to provide analytical knowledge and develop critical thinking that will help them make their own ethical decisions in their professional and private lives. Through case studies, students will be shown communication pitfalls in the modern online anonymous culture of shaming, verbal bullying and unethical media comments, some logical errors or cognitive biases will be discussed and they will be taught how to avoid them. Also, students will be encouraged to reflect on moral principles and how to become ethical communicators. Through exercises, students will participate in discussions about ethical challenges in communication and thus develop the skills of critically analyzing public communication, oratory, and argumentation skills.

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to provide students with knowledge about ethical and moral communication decision-making, to enable them to navigate the space of interpersonal and public communication, and to develop critical and analytical thinking about issues of communication ethics in the space of contemporary media.

Ethical communication is a type of communication characterized by values such as truthfulness, conciseness, and responsibility for the effects of the speech act. Every verbal or non-verbal communication act of participants in public communication, journalists, citizens, and media personalities, involves an ethical choice that has minor or major consequences. Gossip, backbiting, shaming, insulting, lying, ridicule, and belittling are examples of unethical communication with consequences that are regulated by law. Communication in business organizations as well as political communication represent a particularly sensitive area and require a high level of ethical reflection. Through the quality and ethics of communication, individuals present themselves, as well as the systems they represent, and cooperation, trust, and acceptance of the values presented will often depend on the ethics of communication. In the world of modern media, the Internet, social networks, citizen journalism and other possible forms of interactive participation in the public communication space, integrity as the highest value that determines one's reputation is defined by acting in accordance with clear moral principles to which the communicator is consistently faithful.

With these premises, the goal of the course is to increase students' awareness of ethical problems in modern communication in the age of the Internet and to provide analytical knowledge and develop critical thinking that will help them make their own ethical decisions in their professional and private lives. Through case studies, students will be shown communication pitfalls in the modern online anonymous culture of shaming, verbal bullying and unethical media comments, some logical errors or cognitive biases will be discussed and they will be taught how to avoid them. Also, students will be encouraged to reflect on moral principles and how to become ethical communicators. Through exercises, students will participate in discussions about ethical challenges in communication and thus develop the skills of critically analyzing public communication, oratory, and argumentation skills.

LIFE ON VERN'

Studying at VERN' University is much more than just dry learning of theory. Students further develop theoretical knowledge from lectures through project assignments in collaboration with successful companies, thus developing skills for the business world and building relationships. In addition, they have the opportunity to engage in a variety of extracurricular activities - from playing sports through the VERN' Sport program and absorbing cultural content through the VERN' Culture program, to getting involved in student initiatives, organizing various events, attending seminars and workshops, and visiting the most important conferences and business-educational events.

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