Year 2011-12

Politics and Communication (21702)

Degree: Political and Administration Sciences
year: 3rd and 4th
Term: 3rd
Number of ECTS credits: 4
Hours of student dedication: 100 hours
Teaching language: Catalan
Teachers: Carles Pont and Elna Roig

 

1. Introduction to the course

The course aims at studying how the processes of communication work in today's democratic societies.  This is approached from both a political science perspective and a communication science one.  It focuses primarily on mass information channels and their role as intermediaries in the formulation of political attitudes and political behaviours in current societies.  Some of the topics covered will be how political information is treated by the media, the levels of coverage, their influence, communication techniques, and studies of content, and political and electoral campaigns.

2. Competences to be achieved

Generic competences:

1.- oral and written communication in ones own language.

2.- ability to communicate with experts of different disciplines.

3.- design and implementation of different project.

 

Specific competences:

1.-. Recognition of the techniques in political communication.  Knowledge of the basic tools in political communication.

Knowledge of the discipline (to know):
• the tools used to disseminate political information and messages.                                   • the main communication techniques
Professional (transferable) knowledge (to know how to):

· design political campaigns.

· transmit political messages and information.

· Identify issues of public debate.


2. Using ITCs and analysing their impact on the political system.  Knowledge and use of ITCs as an essential tool to analyse politics and public management.

Knowledge of the discipline (to know):
• ITC applied to the analysis of politics and public management.
• the theoretical foundations of e-government and e-administration.

 

 Professional (transferable) knowledge (to know how to):
• use IT programmes for political and social research.
• contribute to the design and management of political and public institution webpages.
• Ability to manage and improve e-administration tools

3. Contents

This course is centred on the study of the processes of communication and the political and government systems

Topic 1. The media

The structure of a communication business

Multimedia groups

Public and positioning

Topic 2. Consuming information and audience shares

The information "diet" and usage

Politics and media (Editorial inclinations)

The media profile of voters

Topic 3.- interrelations between media and politics

The relationship between journalists and politicians

Communication strategies and tools

Political marketing and the leader (as a trademark, icon)

Topic 4. Changes in the communication of politics

Actors and new figures (Spin Doctors)        

Communication and pressure groups: Think Tanks and lobbies

New formats: 'Infotaiment', talk shows, late night shows

Institutional management of a crisis: the case of the Carmel

Topic 5.- analysis of electoral campaigns

The campaign director

The construction of a discourse

Planning persuasive language

Case study: EPC 2003 and EPC 2006         

Topic 6. Mass media and public opinion: mass media in the formation and change of political attitudes and opinions

The effects of political communication: portrayal and problems.  Cognitive and persuasive effects through the agenda.  Prioritisation and framework. The factors that influence the effect.

Topic 7. Citizens and political communication (I).

Public opinion and campaign design. Electoral broadcasts: the show of democracy. The following of electoral campaigns.  The main issues on the effcets of electoral campaigns.

Topic 8. Citizens and political communication (II)

Mass media, campaigns and electoral polls.  The role of polls on voting. Communicating polls. Knowledge and following. The effect of polls.  The debate about publication of polls.

Topic 9. Internet and political communication

Internet and the political porcess. A digital division? Internet and its implication on political participation. Internet, parties and electoral campaigns.

Topic 10. Mass media and public opinion: mass media and how democracy works

The debate on how mass media treat politics and its effects. Mass media and political dissatisfaction: Deficiencies in intermediation? Kill the messenger?

4. Assessment

 

1) Final exam: test on the understanding of the theoretical framework, concepts and processes covered in the lectures. (50% of the mark).

 

2) Practical exercises (50% of the mark): this is comprised of two pieces of coursework to be handed in the first week of June.

 

Students will not be able to pass the course if he or she fails to achieve a 4/10 in either part (exam or practical exercises).

 

TUTORIALS

Two sessions will be set for students to be able to resolve doubts related to the practical exercises.

Prof. Carles Pont:

[email protected]

 

Prof. Elna Roig:

[email protected]

 

5. Bibliography and other resources

5.1. Basic bibliography

GENERAL BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

Adamo, O; Garcia, V; Freidenberg, F. (2007) Medios de comunicación y opinión púbilca. Madrid: McGraw-Hill.

Berrio, Jordi (1990). L'opinió pública i la democràcia. Barcelona: Editorial Pòrtic.

Borrat, Hector (1989). El periódico, actor político. Barcelona: Gili.

Bourdieu, Pierre. "La opinión püblica no existe" Voces y Culturas nº 10 II setembre de 1996."

Bourdieu, Pierre. (1997) Sobre la Televisió. Barcelona : Edicions 62.

Canel, M.J., Comunicación política. Madrid,Tecnos, 1999.

Castells, Manuel. 2008. "Comunicación, poder y contrapoder en la sociedad red.
Los medios y la política".

http://www.campusred.net/TELOS/articuloAutorInvitado.asp?idarticulo=1&rev=74

Ferry, J.M. and D. Wolton: El nuevo espacio público, Gedisa, Barcelona 1995.

Gifreu, J. and F.Pallarés (eds.) Comunicació política i comportament electoral. Barcelona,  Ed. Mediterrània, 1998.

Gifreu, J. And F.Pallarés (eds.): La campanya més disputada. Mitjans, partits i eleccions a les eleccions catalanes de 1999. Barcelona, Pòrtic, 2001.

Graber, D. (ed.) Media Power in Politics. Washington DC, Congressional Quarterly Press, 2000.

Iyengar, S. and D.R. Kinder: News that matters. Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 1987.

Lopez García, G.: Comunicación electoral y formación de la opinión pública: las elecciones generales de 2000 en la premsa española. Univ. de Valencia.

Luque, T. Márketing Político. Barcelona, Ariel Economía, 1996.

Maarek, Philippe J. Marketing político y comunicación. (2009).  Barcelona, Paidós.

Martín Salgado, L., Marqueting político. Barcelona, Paidós, 2002.

Muñoz Alonso, A., C. Monzón, J.I.Rospir and J.L.Dader: Opinión pública y Comunicación Política. Madrid, Eudema Universidad, 1990.

Muñoz Alonso, A. and  J.I.Rospir (eds.): Comunicación Política. Madrid, Universitas, 1995.

Norris, P.: A Virtuous Circle. Political Communications in Postindustrial Societies. Cambridge (UK)-New York, Cambridge University Press, 2000.

Noëlle-Neumann, Elisabeth. (1995). La espiral del silencio. Opinión pública: nuestra piel social. Barcelona: Paidós.

Pallarès, Francesc; Gifreu, Josep; Capdevila, Arantxa. (2007). De Pujol a Maragall. Comuniació política i comportament electoral a les eleccions catlanes de 2003. Girona: Documenta.

Pont, Carles. Comunicació i Crisi. La gestió pública en episodis d'emergència. (2009) Barcelona: Editorial UOC.

Pont, C.; Mauri, M.; Obradors, M.; Fernández Cavia, J.(2009) "Els partits en campanya: plantejaments, recursos i estratègies", A: Pericot, Jordi i Capdevila, Arantxa (eds.), L'espectre del Tripartit. Comunicació política i comportament electoral a les eleccions catalanes del 2006. Barcelona: Documenta Universitària.

Putnam, R.: "Tunning In, Tunning Out: The Strtange Disaooearence of Social Capital" a: American Political Science and Politics, December 1995.  També: Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, New York, Simon & Schuster, 2000

Rodrigo, Miquel. La construcción de la noticia. Barcelona: Paidós Comunicación, 2005.

Sampedro Blanco, V. 1994. "Periodismo, conflicto simbólico y fetichismo. Tipología y tensiones de las relaciones entre periodistas y políticos". Revista de Ciencias de la Información. Nº 10, pp. 99-121, 1994. Facultad de Ciencias de la Información. Universidad Complutense. Madrid.

Sampedro Blanco, V. (2000). Opinión pública y democracia deliberativa. Medios, sondeos y urnas. Istmo Madrid.

6. Methodology

ORGANISATION

Lectures (Tuesday and Friday): The teacher introduces the topics.  Tutorials on the days set by the teacher.

In the Tuesday session the teacher will dedicate 20 minutes to talk about the news that are directly linked to the topics covered in class.

In both sessions there will be lectures and practical sessions.  The practical sessions are comprised of the projection of audiovisual material, readings and commenting texts.

 

7. Programme of activities

Week

Session

Type

Content


   Iª

1

 

Lecture

 

2

 

Lecture

 

IIª

1

 

Lecture

 

2

 

Seminar /lecture

 

IIIª

1

 

Lecture

 

2

 

Seminar /lecture

 

IVª

1

 

Lecture

 

2

 

Lecture

 

Vª

1

 

Lecture

 

2

 

Lecture

 

VIª

1

 

Seminar /lecture

 

2

 

Lecture

 

VIIª

1

 

Lecture

 

2

 

Seminar /lecture

 

VIIIª

1

 

Lecture

 

2

 

Lecture

 

IXª

1

 

Lecture

2

 

Lecture

Xª

1

 

Lecture

2

 

Lecture

 

 

Hours of studnet dedication:

 

Total hours: 100

Class based hours: 45 hours

Estimated time dedicated outside class: 45 hours

Tutorials: 10 hours aprox.