Description
Book SynopsisIn Building Theory in Political Communication, Gadi Wolfsfeld, Tamir Sheafer, and Scott Althaus present the first generalizable conceptual framework for political communication that is also falsifiable, explaining how media performance contributes to successful political performance across nations, regime types, and information systems. The book identifies three tensions in the current literature that have thus far prevented a general theory of political communication. The first is a vague understanding of what it means for media to exercise independence from politics. The second is a focus on media in wealthy, Western, and democratic countries. The third is a tendency to build interpretive frameworks that pose as theories, but that cannot be tested. To address these three tensions, this book adapts, refines, and extends the Politics-Media-Politics (PMP) principle, which states that variations in political ecosystems have a major impact on media systems, values, practices, and resource
Trade ReviewMany good ideas take a decade to mature. That is also the case in this book. Eminent colleagues Wolfsfeld, Sheafer, and Althaus have written a compelling and inspiring 'big picture' book. Their Politics-Media-Politics approach provides a broad framework and a refreshing lens through which to see political communication theorizing. The endeavour is ambitious and likely to inform a new decade of political communication scholarship. * Claes de Vreese, Professor of Political Communication, University of Amsterdam *
In an era of increasingly complex media and political ecosystems, Wolfsfeld, Sheafer, and Althaus' theorizing offers a much-needed prism through which to view sociopolitical developments. Integrating disparate findings across fields and over time and space, their Politics-Media-Politics principle and conceptual map speak incisively to both democratic theory and practice. This big-thinking book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding how our world operates today. * Patricia Moy, Christy Cressey Professor of Communication, University of Washington *
I have often used the PMP principle in my work and teaching as it helps to understand and clarify the complex interactions between politicians and journalists. This ambitious book extends, updates, and deepens the original PMP framework so it can be used in more (non-Western) contexts and in today's political information environment. The authors sketch a sophisticated roadmap, supported by examples from across the globe, that will allow political communication studies to speak to each other and stay on track. * Peter Van Aelst, Professor in Political Communication, University of Antwerp, Belgium *
This book provides the most ambitious attempt so far to integrate almost the entire field of political communication into a single framework. A truly erudite, well-written, and thought-provoking effort. * Stefaan Walgrave, Professor of Political Science, University of Antwerp *
Table of ContentsChapter 1: The Politics-Media-Politics Approach Chapter 2: PMP and Election Campaigns Chapter 3: PMP, Violent Conflicts, and Peace Processes Chapter 4: PMP and Historical Changes Chapter 5: PMP and Comparative Political Communication Chapter 6: Using the PMP Approach to Assess Media: Performance in both Democratic and Autocratic Regimes Conclusion References Index
