Political Communication

Description

Against the background of an enormous expansion and diversification of both political communication itself and scientific research into its structures, processes, and effects, this volume gives an overview of some of the key theories and findings accumulated by political communication research over the last decades. In order to do so, the volume provides readers with review articles by renowned international authors on various aspects of (I) the normative, regulatory and conceptual foundations of political communication, (II) different situations of political communication (e.g., elections, referendums, social movements, media hypes, crisis and war), (III) the activities of and part played by political actors, (IV) mass media and journalism, (V) characteristics and typical features of media messages, (VI) the role played by citizens as well as (VII) various kinds of effects on citizens. Each section includes several chapters that address specific issues and research problems in the form of comprehensive overviews articles. Preface to Handbooks of Communication Science series Contents 1. Political communication research. A brief history of the field and the idea of this handbook Section I: Foundations 2. Normative theories of political communication 3. The regulation of political communication 4. Political communication in long-term perspective 5. Political communication in comparative perspective: Key concepts and new insights Section II: Situations 6. Strategic political communication in election campaigns 7. Political communication in referendums 8. Hypes, waves, and storms: Events and the dynamics of their coverage 9. Political Communication in social transformation and revolution 10. News media, war and world politics Section III: Political Actors 11. Political actors as communicators 12. Media, political agendas and public policy 13. Political public relations Section IV: Mass Media and Journalism 14. The media of political communication 15. The media as political actors 16. The production of political coverage: The push and pull of power, routines and constraints 17. Political journalists as communicators. The impact of individual characteristics on their work Section V: Media Messages 18. The quality of political media coverage 19. Issues, events and frames in political media coverage 20. Politicians, parties and political candidates in the news media 21. Entertaining and emotional elements in political coverage 22. The political relevance of entertainment media Section VI: Citizens 23. Individual political communication and participation 24. Interpersonal and mass mediated political communication 25. Uses and perceptions of political media 26. Selection, perception, and processing of political messages Section VII: Effects on citizens 27. Communication and political socialization 28. Cognitive effects of political mass media 29. Emotional effects in political communication 30. Attitudinal effects in political communication 31. Media effects on political behavior Biographical sketches Index