A Course in Argumentation in Journalism in the Master’s Curriculum: Using Russian Popular Science Magazines as Case Studies

Abstract

At the end of the twentieth century, the mission of the discursive practice of popular science magazines was to draw public attention to environmental issues. The peak of interest in ecology fell on this period: environmental problems in Russia occupied the front pages of newspapers and magazines and featured widely on radio and television. By the mid-2000s, the level of interest in environmental issues had decreased markedly. Environmental issues in popular science magazines gave way to entertainment. Today, many environmental magazines provide tourist information in the format of creolized texts about holiday destinations, a healthy lifestyle, or the life of celebrities. Arguments calling for the preservation of the environment and sustainable lifestyles have been replaced by arguments calling for a life of enjoyment. This paper discusses the concept of a master degree course in argumentation in journalism as illustrated by the evolution of environmental argumentation in the popular science magazine, Vokrug Sveta.