Later this week starts my course on the role of Digital Media in Politics at the Department of Political Science at the University of Zurich. The course aims to give an overview of various debates on different uses and effects digital media have had in politics:
The course examines the impact of digital media on politics in international comparison. Digital media play an increasingly important role in politics. Be it political communication, the coverage of politics in the news, campaigning, public discourse, or collective action, various political fields are changing due to digital media. This makes it paramount to identify, assess, and understand the role of digital media in politics. Over the course, students will be introduced to important approaches in conceptualizing and measuring the effects of digital media on politics. In this, we will focus on the role of digital media in helping political actors fulfill specific tasks in their work, such as gaining representation in the political information space, reaching people, convincing and mobilizing people, coordination, organizing, and measuring and evaluating the impact of their actions.
In the course we will talk about:
- Media systems,
- Publics and counterpublics,
- Polarization,
- Election campaigns,
- Political participation and collective action,
- Data-driven campaigning,
- Modes of control,
- Disinformation and manipulation, and
- Platforms as political actors.
[Syllabus]