Politics

Communicating Politics

Module code: L2155
Level 5
15 credits in spring semester
Teaching method: Lecture, Seminar
Assessment modes: Essay

Communication is power. The ways in which political ideas are communicated conditions the terrain on which politics takes place, rendering some forms of action possible and legitimate while constraining others. To understand this process, Communicating Politics equips you with the tools to analyse the communication of political messages, thereby enhancing their understanding of how verbal and non-verbal forms of language shape and reproduce power relationships. We will apply the tool kit to a range of actors involved in the communication of political ideas (such as politicians, news outlets, and artists) as well as a range of communication methods (such as speeches, TV, photographs, and music).

Module learning outcomes

• Demonstrate critical engagement with key theories of political communication
• Apply political communication theories to an analysis of primary sources
• Critically reflect on the relationship between the form of political messaging and its content