History 273 - Fake News in American History

Is “fake news” really new? This course examines the long contest over truth and falsehood in media, with particular focus on the United States, from the seventeenth century to the present. It covers information literacy, the long history of media and journalism in America, conspiracy theories, and the relationship between information and democracy. Students will learn to fact check, reflect on their own engagement with information networks, and study the politics of information in today’s world. (E)