In this lecture, part of the World Affairs Council of Jacksonville's Great Decisions program, I explore the relationship between the current media landscape, democracy, and foreign policy.

1. Media and Foreign Policy
Josh Gellers, PhD
March 8, 2018

2. Sound Off!
• What do you think about when you hear
the word “media”?
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3. Media and Democracy
• “Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom
of speech, or of the press; or of the right of the
people peaceably to assemble, and to petition
the Government for a redress of grievances.”
– 1st Amd. to the U.S. Constitution (1791)
• What does it say about a country when it has
legal protections for free speech and the
press?
• Why might it be important to protect free
speech?
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4. POTUS and the Press
• How do the President’s comments about the media
relate to the 1st Amendment?
• What impacts might the President’s remarks have
on public interest in or confidence in the free press?
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5. Unintended Consequences
• How should society weigh the value of
information versus the risks of publicity?
9/11/2001
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6. The Dark Side of Media
Recruiting for Terrorist Groups Spreading false or fake news
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7. Social Media and Foreign Policy
• Social media is a relatively inexpensive way of
communicating information and letting the
audience do most of the work
• Twitter has become the main platform of
choice for world leaders and foreign ministries
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8. Social Media and U.S. Foreign Policy
• Should the President of the United States
conduct foreign policy using social media?
• What are the benefits or drawbacks?
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9. Media Crisis Simulation
• Scenario: A new terrorist group, Shadow
Knights, has turned to Twitter to broadcast live
executions and recruit new members. How do
you respond if you are one of the following
actors?
– Twitter executives concerned about stock value
– A major media conglomerate with a substantial
social media following
– President of the United States
– A civil society group focused on protecting free
speech
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