MC404      Half Unit
Political Communication in Democracies

This information is for the 2025/26 session.

Course Convenor

Availability

The aim of the course is to examine the relationship between the media and political processes in comparative perspective. It offers a critical review of key aspects of contemporary theory and research in political communications, examining a range of interconnected issues concerning the relationship between politics and media including: the political influence of the media; the concept of public opinion; the effects of election and referendum campaigning; data-driven political communication; protest and contestation, populism and democracy; and public diplomacy in international relations

10 hours of seminars and 10 hours of lectures in the Autumn Term.

This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Winter Term.

• Chadwick, A. (2013). The Hybrid Media System: Politics and Power. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Davis, A. (2024). Political Communication: A New Introduction for Crisis Times – 2nd Edition. London: John Wiley & Sons.
• · Klinger, U., Kreiss, D., & Mutsvairo, B. (2023). Platforms, Power, and Politics: An introduction to political communication in the digital age. Cambridge: Polity Press.
• · Mortesen, M., Neumayer, C. and Poell, T. (eds) (2019). Social Media Materialities and Protest: Critical Reflections. New York, NY: Routledge.
• · Nielsen, R. K., & Ganter, S. A. (2022). The Power of Platforms: Shaping Media and Society. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• · Tumber, Howard and Waisbord, Silvio (eds) (2021). The Routledge Companion to Media Disinformation and Populism. London: Routledge.
• · Wolfsfeld, Gadi (2022). Making Sense of Media and Politics: Five Principles in Political Communication. New York, NY: Routledge.

Online suggestion

• The Democracy Paradox Podcast (2020-2024): A wide array of theorists and political scientists talking about various topics related to democracy. https://democracyparadox.com/the-democracy-paradox-podcast/
• The Rest is Politics. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsufaClk5if2RGqABb-09Uw 
• The Rest is Politics USA: https://www.youtube.com/@RestPoliticsUS
• The Newsagents: https://www.youtube.com/@thenewsagents
• Novara Media https://novaramedia.com
• Pod Save UK: https://www.crooked.com/podcast-series/pod-save-the-uk/
• Pod Save America: https://crooked.com/podcast-series/pod-save-america/
• Maximilien Robespierre: https://www.youtube.com/@MaximilienRobespierre1

Oral examination (100%)