- Enseignant-e: Luzia Helfer
The digitalization we experience in our everyday lives also affects
politicians and political parties. Politics seems (increasingly)
mediatized. This means, politicians and other political actors adjust
their behavior more and more to the logic of the media. But is all
politics mediatized?
In this course, we address this question
systematically. The four phases of mediatization defined by Strömbäck
(2008) serve as a guiding line in the curriculum.
How important is it that media are independent from politics (phase 2)?
And how does this then affect, whether and how politicians and other
political actors adapt their behavior (phase 4)? By drawing on recent
empirical studies in the field and making specific link to examples in the public discussion and political activities in 2020 with the COVID-19 situation, we gain a deeper understanding and test
our everyday assumptions against scientific evidence.
At the end of this course, you:
- have a clear understanding of the concept of mediatization and its causes and consequences for various political actors.
- can apply this knowledge to contexts beyond the class, for example to evaluate current political events and broader societal developments.
The course is taught in English.
Strömbäck, J. (2008). Four phases of mediatization: An analysis of the
mediatization of politics. The International Journal of Press/Politics,
13(3).