Course Details Language of Instruction English Level of Course Unit Bachelor's Degree Department / Program Political Science and International Relations Type of Program Formal Education Type of Course Unit Elective Course Delivery Method Face To Face Objectives of the Course This course addresses a significant gap in the literature and provides a comprehensive overview of the principles of effective communication for homeland security in the context of increasing digitalization, before, during, and after disasters, terrorism, and war. We will examine the challenges of communicating in a rapidly digitalized environment shaped by the emergence and evolution of new media technologies, including social media platforms, real-time data systems, and algorithm-driven information flows. Particular attention will be given to the impact of “first informers” and digitally networked actors on homeland security communications, as well as the transformation of information ecosystems in which digital platforms play a central role. The course also explores the changing roles of governments and traditional media as information gatekeepers within a digitalized communication landscape, where authority is increasingly decentralized and contested. Furthermore, it provides practical guidance on communication staffing and strategic planning in digitally enhanced environments, including crisis communication through online channels, engagement with digital media, and the management of misinformation and disinformation. Real-world examples of both effective and ineffective communication strategies will be analyzed, with a focus on how digitalization shapes communication tactics, decision-making processes, and public response in homeland security contexts. Course Content This course will explore a range of key topics such as: the role of media and digital communication platforms in local emergency planning; disaster communications in an increasingly digitalized and interconnected world; principles of a successful communication strategy for homeland security within digital environments; mass media reporting, digital participation, and voluntarism; applications of communication principles in emergency management supported by digital tools and real-time data systems; the relationship between mass media, digital ecosystems, and national security; and the intersection of human rights, media, and digitalization, including issues such as online privacy, freedom of expression, and the spread of misinformation and disinformation. Course Methods and Techniques Lectures and guided discussions; case studies of digital communication during disasters and security crises; critical reading; a communication-strategy design exercise; and review of relevant media and human-rights cases. Prerequisites and co-requisities None Course Coordinator None Name of Lecturers Prof.Dr. Ercan SEYHAN https://profil.hku.edu.tr/akademik/ercan-seyhan/ ercan.seyhan@hku.edu.tr Assistants None Work Placement(s) No Recommended or Required Reading Resources Disaster Communications in a Changing Media World (George D. Haddow and Kim S.Haddow). Selling War The Role of the Mass Media in Hostile Conflicts from World War I to the ‘War on Terror (Edited by Josef Seethaler, Matthias Karmasin, Gabriele Melischek, and Romy Wöhlert). Media and National Security, Rhea Abraham How Political Actors Use the Media, A Functional Analysis of the Media’s Role in Politics (Peter Van Aelst · Stefaan Walgrave) Journalists as Beurocrats, Perceptions of Social Responsibility, Ford H. Burkhard Media coverage of mass death: not always unwelcome, Joseph Scanlon and Conrad McCullum The Role of Media in Promoting National Security Interests, Nicoleta Annemarie Munteanu Course Notes Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: CLO1. Explain the relationship between media, digitalization and homeland security using relevant theoretical frameworks. CLO2. Analyse the role of traditional and digital media in emergency planning and crisis communication. CLO3. Evaluate mass media reporting, digital participation and volunteer communication during emergencies. CLO4. Develop an appropriate communication strategy for a selected homeland security scenario. CLO5. Assess the contribution of media and digital communication platforms to disaster management and disaster risk reduction. CLO6. Apply emergency communication principles to case studies involving terrorism, disasters or other security threats. CLO7. Analyse extremist propaganda, misinformation and disinformation within digital media environments. CLO8. Critically evaluate the relationship between mass media, digitalization and national security. CLO9. Assess the implications of digital communication for human rights, privacy and freedom of expression.