Communication and Public Opinion
Code: 101074 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2500259 Political Science and Public Management | OT | 3 | 2 |
| 2500259 Political Science and Public Management | OT | 4 | 0 |
| 2504216 Contemporary History, Politics and Economics | OT | 3 | 2 |
| 2504216 Contemporary History, Politics and Economics | OT | 4 | 0 |
| 2504216 Contemporary History, Politics and Economics | OT | 4 | 1 |
| 2504216 Contemporary History, Politics and Economics | OT | 4 | 2 |
Contact
- Name:
- Gabriel Colomé García
- Email:
- Gabriel.Colome@uab.cat
Use of Languages
- Principal working language:
- catalan (cat)
- Some groups entirely in English:
- No
- Some groups entirely in Catalan:
- Yes
- Some groups entirely in Spanish:
- No
Prerequisites
There is not
Objectives and Contextualisation
Public opinion and Published Opinion are two concepts that we will see during the course as they evolve to become a debate on communication.
Learning in analysis as part of reflection on the subject taught.
The space of public debate has moved from the classical political arena, ie the parliament, where government and opposition face, as the basis of the building of representative democracy, to a democracy of opinion where the government-opposition relationship is through the media.
However, the question we have to ask ourselves is whether politicians, communication experts, journalists and pollsters, in part as a published opinion, are really the ones who build public opinion, the ones who set the political agenda and, therefore. So, are they responsible for the political debate in the public space?
Public opinion, and more specifically voters, perceive politics as a struggle, not so much of party programs, as the visualization of the public image of the leaders who represent the party and its ideas, through the media. communication, basically television.
The political agenda is planned based on its media impact and the impact it will have on public opinion. This would be a classic case of a communication planning manual. The subject of debate is when the media and the public opinion assume the role reserved to the parliament and become a fundamental part of the political system without having the democratic legitimacy granted to the executive and legislative power by the citizens.
Competences
- Political Science and Public Management
- Analysing the behaviour of the political actors, both individually and collectively (parties, interest groups, social movements, etc.).
- Analysing the electoral processes, including campaigns, parties' electoral strategies, political scenarios and analysis and interpretation of electoral results.
- Arguing from different theoretical perspectives.
- Demonstrating good writing skills in different contexts.
- Demonstrating the comprehension of citizen behaviour and democratic values, particularly in internal or international concrete cases.
- Explaining political, individual and collective attitudes and behaviours, as well as the education process and expression of political preferences.
- Identifying main actors of the political system, inspecting their interactions and assessing their behaviour in their environment and in the political system from a theoretical and practical perspective.
- Identifying sources of data and conducting bibliographic and documentary searches.
- Interpreting and applying English texts in an academic way.
- Managing the available time in order to accomplish the established objectives and fulfil the intended task.
- Managing the different theoretical contributions about actors and actor's networks, as well as the characteristics of collective action.
- Realising effective oral presentations that are suited to the audience.
- Showing a good capacity for transmitting information, distinguishing key messages for their different recipients.
- Synthesizing and critically analysing information.
- Using the main information and documentation techniques (ICT) as an essential tool for the analysis.
- Working autonomously.
- Working by using quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques in order to apply them to research processes.
- Working in teams and networking, particularly in interdisciplinary conditions.
Learning Outcomes
- Analysing the behaviour of the political actors, both individually and collectively (parties, interest groups, social movements, etc.).
- Analysing the electoral processes, including campaigns, parties' electoral strategies, political scenarios and analysis and interpretation of electoral results.
- Arguing from different theoretical perspectives.
- Demonstrating good writing skills in different contexts.
- Explaining political, individual and collective attitudes and behaviours, as well as the education process and expression of political preferences.
- Identifying main actors of the political system, inspecting their interactions and assessing their behaviour in their environment and in the political system from a theoretical and practical perspective.
- Identifying sources of data and conducting bibliographic and documentary searches.
- Interpreting and applying English texts in an academic way.
- Managing the available time in order to accomplish the established objectives and fulfil the intended task.
- Managing the different theoretical contributions about actors and actor's networks, as well as the characteristics of collective action.
- Realising effective oral presentations that are suited to the audience.
- Showing a good capacity for transmitting information, distinguishing key messages for their different recipients.
- Synthesizing and critically analysing information.
- Using the main information and documentation techniques (ICT) as an essential tool for the analysis.
- Working autonomously.
- Working by using quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques in order to apply them to research processes.
- Working in teams and networking, particularly in interdisciplinary conditions.
Content
1. Chicago School
2. Paul Lazarsfeld: The reinforcement hypothesis
3. Walter Lippmann: Public Opinion and Stereotypes
4. Elisabeth Noelle-Neuman. The spiral of silence
5. Message Box: technique of writing a speech.
6. Polls: reading and political interpretation
7. Published Opinion. Public Opinion
8. Electoral behavior
9. Image and Politics: Advertising
10. Agenda effect and television debates
11. Democracy of Opinion
12. Neuromarketing
13. Electoral campaigns
14. Electoral strategy
15. Strategic scenario planning
16. Candidates and parties: politician-educator-politician-seducer
17. The power of the media.
18. Big Data
19. Case Analysis: 2019 General Elections.
Essay readings and subsequent seminar:
G Tailors. Homo Videns
C. Casajuana. The laws of the castle
seminars: Documentary analysis and discussion
a / The triumph of the will. 1934
b / 15 June 1977
c / 72 hours. From March 11 to 14
d / The War Room. Campaign B Clinton 1992
Methodology
The methodology of the subject forces the student to reflect on their knowledge acquired from the first year. The basis of the course will be a reflection on the issues of politics and communication and the construction of public opinion.
Public Opinion and Published Opinion are two concepts that we will see during the course as they evolve to become a debate on communication.
Learning in the analysis as part of the reflection on the subject taught.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| study and reading of material | 75 | 3 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 5, 9, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 16, 15, 17, 14 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| master classes and participatory seminars | 50 | 2 | 1, 2, 10, 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 17 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| end of course work | 25 | 1 | 1, 2, 10, 5, 6, 17 |
Assessment
The evaluation of the subject will consist of three notes. 50% of the mark will be obtained through a final work that will have to realize along the course. This work will consist of the development of a research question on a topic related to the subject. The choice of topic is free, but the design of the work must be consulted with the teacher.
In addition to this work, the student will have to attend and participate in the different seminars on parts of the syllabus that take place during the semester. For these seminars, the student will have to present a written text based on some readings. Both the written commentary and the active participation in the discussion session will serve to complement the evaluation of the subject. And finally, you will have to write an essay each of the required readings.
The final grade is the set of three activities.
The final grade can be commented on in the tutorial schedule set for this purpose.
The subject cannot be passed without submitting the final course project.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seminars | 35% | 0 | 0 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 5, 11, 9, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 16, 15, 17, 14 |
| end of course work | 50% | 0 | 0 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 5, 11, 9, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 16, 15, 17, 14 |
| group work and class presentation | 15% | 0 | 0 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 5, 11, 9, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 16, 15, 17, 14 |
| recovery exam for students who have failed the final course work with a grade below 3.5 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 2, 3, 4, 10, 5, 11, 9, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 16, 14 |
Bibliography
Colomé,Gabriel(2020), Silencio, se vota, Granada (Comares)
Gergen, David-Lewis, Ann-Izurieta, Roberto, (2005), Cambiando la escucha, Buenos Aires (la Crujía)
Lippmann, Walter (2003), La Opinión Pública, Madrid (Langre)
Maarek, Philippe, (2009 ), Marketing político y Comunicación, Barcelona (Paidós)
Martin Salgado, Lourdes (2002), Marketing Político, Barcelona (paidós)
Morris, Dick (2003), Juego de poderes, Buenos Aires (El Ateneo)
Noelle-Neuman, Elisabeth, (1995), La espiral del silencio, Tecnos (Barcelona)
Software
Java program to view videos via google.
Youtube