Political Communication: Introduction

What is….. Political Communication???

Today’s Lecture
Key definitions
Some context
Models of political communication

What is politics?
The process of decision making that accommodates the requirements of all those affected by those decisions
A social process determined by the nature of society

What is Democracy
Direct translation is power of the people
Works at some levels
Most democracies are based on some form of representation

Why is communication so important?
To link represented and representatives
Aids decision making that serves societies’ best interests
To explain and inform about decisions
Ongoing process of horizontal and vertical discussion and feedback creates social cohesion around legitimate governance

It is not all about distortion It is far more than spin And anyway what do we really mean by the term spin ?

It is not all about distortion It is far more than spin And anyway what do we really mean by the term spin ? Who’s this guy? And why is he relevant?

Political communication is…
“ crucial for the building of a society where the state and its people feel they are connected”
[helps] gain legitimacy among and compliance from the people”
Based on an understanding of the sender, media and receiver
Read: Lilleker, 2005, p. 1-17

But…
Electoral political organisations and actors communicate…
So do non-electoral organisations and actors
The media has a large amount of input
We can also add our opinions and experiences
A HIGHLY COMPLEX ENVIRONMENT!

An unusual context
Key actors, participants and audiences
Part of the promotional culture
Elements of the pre-modern, modern and post-modern
Mirrors corporate communication yet also very different

5 unit learning outcomes (p2): read and understand them
Lecture plus seminar weekly sessions
Reading !!!!!!
Assignments:
1. End term 1
Expectations
2. Start term 3
Expectations
Weighted marking criteria (p 3 & 4) Tutorial support Why is this ad unusual ?

Theoretical Ideal
Liberal/ plural democratic contexts = specific expectations & purposes
..“communication which should enable citizens to live democratically”.. (from Negrine 1996)
Notion of ‘Public sphere’ (Habermas 1962)

Rhetoric and Ethics
A rhetoric of political communication (Smith 1990)
Ethics inherent in all communication (Johannesen in Denton2000) Central in political communication?
A click away

Direction
The elite model – top down?
The pluralist model – competition
The Feedback model
A mediated model
The Democratic model – circular communication
The interdependent model – detached synergy

Citizen(s)
Fragmented:
(From noble citizen to apathetic cynic)
Flux:
Changing ‘tribal’ allegiances regularly
Perspective s you need to take
Political communication expert
Strategic
Comprehensive
Integrated
Multi-faceted

Perspective s you need to take
Political communication expert
Strategic
Comprehensive
Integrated
Multi-faceted
Citizen(s)
Fragmented:
(From noble citizen to apathetic cynic)
Flux:
Changing ‘tribal’ allegiances regularly

The unit guide
5 unit learning outcomes (p2): read and understand them
Lecture plus seminar weekly sessions
Reading !!!!!!
Assignments:
1. End term 1
Expectations
2. Start term 3
Expectations
Weighted marking criteria Tutorial support

For Seminars
What direction is pol comm in the UK (or any other nation you are familiar with), what is the evidence for this?
How does this effect us as citizens?
What should the direction be
Draw on advertising/marketing/pr/media/social best practice

Political Communication: Introduction

by Darren Lilleker on Sep 06, 2009

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Political Communication: Introduction — Presentation Transcript