This course examines key aspects of contemporary theory, research and practice about the relationship between politics and communication in democratic societies during both campaign periods and day-to-day government.

Lecture: 1 hour, seminar 1 hour.

None

None

Regular tasks for seminar preparation & peer-review on some of those tasks (25%)

Group presentation (15%)

Individual reflective report on the presentation - 1000 words (15%)

Essay, 2500 words (45%)

This course examines key aspects of contemporary theory, research and practice about the relationship between politics and communication in democratic societies during both campaign periods and day-to-day government. The first section focuses on examining the key characteristics and most influential actors of the contemporary communication environment. The second section focuses on exploring how political actors, such as parties, leaders and advocacy organisations, use media to pursue their political objectives. The final section focuses on the role of news and journalists. The course also analyses how the nature of contemporary political communication affects the conduct and quality of the democratic process

By the end of this course students will be able to:

â–  appraise the main theoretical approaches regarding the relationship between political parties, politicians, citizens, civil society, media and journalists in democratic politics.

â–  evaluate existing research about the impact of media in political processes, civil society, and public opinion and apply it to a range of case studies and topical issues.

â–  identify the main similarities and differences in political communication over time and across countries.

â–  assess the impact of contemporary political communication in the conduct and quality of the democratic process

â–  demonstrate skills in individual presentational and group analytical work.

â–  develop and present clear, analytical and robust analyses and arguments in both written and oral form.