Class Policy and Communication

Politics and communication constitute inseparable dimensions of human life, both individual and collective. Political decision-making processes, the actions of parties and institutions, citizen mobilization and the very formation of public opinion increasingly unfold through complex communicative dynamics, which include traditional media but also digital platforms and social networks. This course aims to provide students with an introductory framework for understanding these dynamics, analysing how political discourses are constructed, disseminated and appropriated by different social actors, and how these processes shape public perception of collective problems. Beyond the acquisition of theoretical and conceptual knowledge, this course seeks to foster the development of students' autonomous and critical thinking, through the analysis of concrete cases and the discussion of current examples.

Not applicable

1.    Introduction to the relationship between politics and communication 2.    Public opinion and the formation of collective will 3.    Political communication and discourse 4.    Traditional media and politics 5.    Social media and digital platforms 6.    Political parties and communication 7.    Populism, polarisation and disinformation 8.    Citizenship, political participation and media literacy

Active and student-centred methodologies: Case-based learning Flipped classroom Real-time social media analysis and student-produced digital content Collaborative fact-checking Project-based learning (PBL) Mentoring sessions for clarification and debate. Off Campus' visits

Correia, João & Ferreira, Gil & Espírito Santo, Paula. (2010). Conceitos de Comunicação Política. 10.13140/2.1.1077.8888 Entman, R. M. (1993). Framing: Toward clarification of a fractured paradigm. Journal of Communication, 43(4), 51-58. Figueiras, R. (2017). Comunicação política e ambiente mediático. Editora Sílabo. Levitsky, S., & Ziblatt, D. (2018). Como as democracias morrem. Zahar.  McCombs, M. (2004). Setting the agenda: The mass media and public opinion. Polity Press. Mudde, C., & Kaltwasser, C. R. (2017). Populism: A very short introduction. Oxford University Press. Pina, Sara (2023) The use of social media by the extreme right in Election campaigns: a comparison of Portugal and Spain in Cunha, I. F., Guazina, L. S., Cabrera, A., & Martins, C. I. A. (2023). Media, Populism and Corruption. ICNOVA - Instituto de Comunicação da Nova. https://doi.org/10.34619/pxe6-rjvn