Description
Objective 1: Students have a clear understanding of the concept of mediatization of politics and its causes and consequences.
Objective 2: Students can apply this knowledge to evaluate current political incidents and broader developments.
Content: It seems to be undisputed that politics is (increasingly) mediatized. Politicians only react to the news of the day and, as a consequence, lose focus of their policy goals. In this course we try to answer the question: is all politics mediatized?
By drawing on findings from the most recent studies in the field, we will investigate how and to what extent the media affect politics. Questions we will focus on are for example: what do we mean by ‘mediatization’? How do media influence election campaigns? Are opposition parties more influenced by the media than coalition parties? And how much influence do the media have on lawmaking?
This course is for students interested in gaining insights and, more importantly, nuance their understanding of the relationship between politicians/political parties and the media.
Schedule
Methods of Instruction
Seminar format with active discussion of the readings, complemented with introductory presentations by the lecturer.
Study Material
Articles and book chapters (approximately 800-1.000 pages). Students will receive a comprehensive literature list before the start of the course.
Examination
Multiple short essays; peer feedback on essays of other students; participation. Students may miss a maximum of one class.
Registration
Course
Students need to register for lectures, work group sessions and advanced courses in uSis. It is not possible to take a course without a valid registration. Please consult the course registration website for information on registration periods and further instructions.
Admission requirements
No formal admission requirements. This course builds on some of the core concepts of Politics and the Media by Dr. R.K. Tromble.