Political Communication

We are living in a period of great uncertainty. The rise of extreme populists, economic shocks and rising international tensions is not only causing turmoil but is also a sign that many long-predicted tipping points in media and politics have now been reached. Such changes have worrying implications for democracies everywhere.

This second edition of Political Communication bridges old and new to map the political and cultural shifts and analyse what they mean for our ageing democracies. With new sections and revisions to all chapters, the book continues both to introduce and challenge the established literature. It revisits key questions such as: Why are polarized electorates no longer prepared to support established political parties? Why are large parts of the legacy media either dying or dismissed as 'fake news'? And why do some democratic leaders look more like dictators? In this fully updated edition, there is greater focus on digital developments, and it is enriched with new global comparisons and useful ancillary material.

Political Communication: An Introduction for Crisis Times will appeal to advanced students and scholars of political communication, as well as anyone trying to understand the precarious state of today's media and political landscape. Foreword to the Second Edition and Acknowledgements


Part I: Introductory Frameworks

1. Introducing Political Communication in Crisis Times

2. Evaluating Democratic Politics and Communication

3. Digital Media and Political Communication



Part II: Institutional Politics and Legacy News Media

4. Political Parties and Elections

5. Political Reporting and the Future of (Fake) News

6. Media-Source Relations, Mediatization and Populist Turn in News and Politics



Part III: Citizens and Organised Interests Beyond the Political Centre

7. Citizens, Media Effects and Public Participation

8. Civil Society, Powerful Interests and the Policy Process

9. Interest Groups, Social Movements and Campaigning for Equality and the Environment

10. Globalisation, the State and International Political Communication

11. Conclusions: Post-Truth, Post-Public Sphere and Post-Democracy



Bibliography

Index

‘In a time characterized by numerous simultaneous crises, transformative changes and democratic backsliding, this well-written and highly insightful book can be recommended to anyone interested in contemporary political communication and the fate of democracy.’
Jesper Strömbäck, University of Gothenburg

‘Political Communication arrives at a time of rapid change and deepening crisis in democratic societies. It provides an engaging, magisterial and rigorous assessment of the impact of recent transformations – ranging from the rise of authoritarian populist leaders to the Covid-19 pandemic. The book is a must-read for anyone who wants to make sense of political communication in unprecedented times.’
Karin Wahl-Jorgensen, Cardiff University

Aeron Davis is Professor of Political Communication at Victoria University of Wellington.