In Spring 2019 we ran the first edition of the pan-European fact-checking project EUfactcheck (www.eufactcheck.eu). 20 European journalism schools investigated claims by politicians in the (social) media on European themes in the run-up to the EU elections. We continue the project, also in Autumn 2021. You use online tools, you interview experts who can confirm - or not - the claim you are investigating.

There are no prerequisites for this course.

Within the pan-European EUfactcheck project (www.eufactcheck.eu) you perform 4 factchecks. You investigate 4 claims on European themes politicians and other public figures are stating in the (social) media.
In factchecking it is all about finding out whether a claim is true, mostly true, mostly false or false. And maybe you will find out that a statement can't be checked in full. It remains 'uncheckable'.
You will have to talk to experts who can help you assess the claims, you will read research reports, you will dive into internet to find out if there is material confirming the claim you are investigating. And imagine how proud you will when you find out that a politician is quoting numbers that are really not accurate.
Besides the 4 factchecks, you write 2 blog posts in which you talk about your experiences, reflections and thoughts while you were factchecking.
With the project we want to contribute to a public debate that is based on facts and not on emotions, half truths and lies, as we have seen in the Brexit discussion and still see in the debate on e.g. migration and climate change.

Syllabus

You perform the assignments in Factchecking in a small group of 3-4 students. You will be permanently assessed: your contribution to the fact-checking process (60%) and the final products you present (40%).