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Dr Nick Anstead

This course is compulsory on the MSc in Politics and Communication. This course is not available as an outside option.

Note: MC404 is a core course for the MSc Politics and Communication. It is not available to students outside the programme. 

The aim of the course is to examine the relationship between the media and political processes in comparative perspective. It offers a critical review of key aspects of contemporary theory and research in political communications, examining a range of interconnected issues concerning the relationship between politics and media including: the political influence of the media; public opinion; election and referendum campaigning; political marketing and branding; political reporting; media and public knowledge; and public diplomacy.

This course is delivered through a combination of lectures and seminars totalling a minimum of 20 hours across Michaelmas Term. This year, some or all of this teaching will be delivered through a combination of virtual classes and flipped-lectures delivered as online videos. This course includes a reading week in Week 6 of term.

All students are expected to complete advance reading, prepare seminar presentations, and submit one essay of 1,500 words.

• Bennett, W. L. & Segerberg, A. 2012. The Logic of Connective Action: Digital Media and the Personalization of Contenious Politics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Chadwick, A. 2013. The Hybrid Media System: Politics and Power. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Coleman, S. & Blumler, J. G. 2009. The Internet and democratic citizenship : theory, practice and policy. Cambridge ; New York: Cambridge University Press.
• Davis, A. 2019. Political Communication: A New Introduction for Crisis Times. London: John Wiley & Sons.
• Esser, F. and Pfetsch, B. (Eds). 2004. Comparing Political Communications, New York, Cambridge University Press.
• Issenberg, S. 2012. The Victory Lab: The Secret Science of Winning Campaigns: Crown.
• Norris, P. 2000. Virtuous Circle, Cambridge University Press.
• Scammell, M. and Semetko, Holli A. 2012. The SAGE Handbook of Political Communication. London: Sage.
• Scammell, M. 2014. Consumer Democracy: The Marketing of Politics. New York, NY USA: Cambridge University Press.
• Stromer-Galley, J. 2014. Presidential campaigning in the Internet age. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Willnat, L, and Annette A (Eds) 2009. Political communication in Asia. London ; New York: Routledge.
• Wring, D., Mortimore, R., & Atkinson, S. 2018. Political Communication in Britain. London: Springer.

Essay (100%, 3000 words) in the LT.

The course focuses on how politicians communicate with the public, and what developments in this area mean for democracy.

Students' comments

"The lectures are some of the most stimulating and interesting I've had in my education. Fantastic teaching"

"The student-led seminars were great... [I] enjoyed leading on one myself!"