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Creation and Organisation of Electoral Campaigns

Code: 104793 ECTS Credits: 6
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
2503868 Communication in Organisations OT 4

Contact

Name:
Marc Blasco Duatis
Email:
marc.blasco@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

The subject does not pose any prerequisite related to the requirement of prior knowledge other than those required to take other subjects in the same course. However, it is recommended to take the optional subject Political Communication in advance.

The students must have the habit of reading general press, with special attention to national and international political news, as well as opinion articles or the follow-up of televised and radio debates and gatherings on political issues understood in the broader meaning.

The students must have an acceptable command of the English language, which allows them to understand documents written in that language.

The students must have basic notions of descriptive statistics (understand how to read tables with percentages and frequencies) as well as know how to interpret relationships between variables (double entry tables, typologies, etc ...).

The Catalan language is the vehicular tool of written and oral expression of the subject. In this sense, correction in the use of language is an indispensable requirement, especially in the discursive, reasoning and discussion aspects, orthographic and grammatical correction, as well as adequacy, coherence and cohesion.


Objectives and Contextualisation

The aim is to provide students with the theoretical and practical tools for planning, creating and managing oral, written, audiovisual and digital communication in election campaigns. Guidelines are also given to analyze the various elements and actors involved in election campaigns, such as electoral systems, candidates, and voters, the impact of social media and Voting Advice Applications (VAA), how emotions influence electoral behavior and how it should be considered when preparing election campaigns.


Competences

  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
  • Act within one's own area of knowledge, evaluating sex/gender-based inequalities.
  • Determine the structure and functions of the technological and economic context of organisations.
  • Differentiate the principal theories on communication in organisations, which underpin knowledge of the discipline and its different branches.
  • Introduce changes in the methods and processes of the field of knowledge to provide innovative responses to the needs and demands of society.
  • Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
  • Work in compliance with professional codes of conduct.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse information processes and the currents and theories that underpin them in the process of planning and executing electoral campaigns.
  2. Analyse information processes and the currents and theories that underpin them in the process of planning and executing political communication.
  3. Analyse the sex- or gender-based inequalities and the gender biases present in one's own area of knowledge.
  4. Apply professional codes of conduct in the political and institutional propaganda campaigns of governmental organisations, political parties, etc.
  5. Apply professional codes of conduct in the political communication of governmental organisations, political parties, etc.
  6. Assess how stereotypes and gender roles impact professional practice.
  7. Communicate using language that is not sexist or discriminatory.
  8. Create parties' electoral campaigns aimed at general or specific audiences, using existing online and off-line media.
  9. Critically analyse the principles, values and procedures that govern the exercise of the profession.
  10. Display knowledge of how public actors' communicative strategies are devised and spread through the organisations they work in.
  11. Identify situations in which a change or improvement is needed.
  12. Identify the main inequalities and discriminations in terms of sex/gender present in society.
  13. Interpret and discuss documents on the main theories of political science and the organisation of political propaganda.
  14. Present a summary of the studies made, orally, in writing, or using other means of communication.
  15. Present the objectives of governmental institutions, political parties, etc. to all kinds of audiences.
  16. Propose new ways to measure the success or failure of the implementation of innovative proposals or ideas.
  17. Propose projects and actions that are in accordance with the principles of ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and obligations, diversity and democratic values.
  18. Propose projects and actions that incorporate the gender perspective.
  19. Respect the ideas, ethnic groups, religions, cultures, etc., of all collectives when planning and implementing political propaganda campaigns.
  20. Respect the ideas, ethnic groups, religions, cultures, etc., of all collectives when planning and organising communication by political organisations.
  21. Weigh up the impact of any long- or short-term difficulty, harm or discrimination that could be caused to certain persons or groups by the actions or projects.
  22. Work independently to solve problems and take strategic decisions on the basis of the knowledge acquired.

Content

1. Introduction to election campaigns

  • Definition, limits and regulation.
  • The effects of campaigns: persuasive strategies in democracy.
  • Informative coverage: media agendas vs. political agendas.
  • The crisis of political communication and electoral advertising.

2. Political marketing in campaign

  • Electoral segmentation and objectives: techniques, data and strategy.
  • The construction of the agenda in the election campaign.
  • Framing as an instrument of mobilization.
  • Strategy and planning of electoral campaigns: axes, analysis of the environment, targeting ...
  • Actors in the election campaign: candidate, party, voters, media, opinion leaders ...
  • Election of the candidate and management of primaries.

3. Instruments of political communication in the campaign

  • War room: candidate, campaign committee and direction.
  • Campaign funding: public funding vs. private, fund raising and campaign budget.
  • Content and perceptions: storytelling, discursive strategy and storytelling in the electoral context.
  • Electoral billboards.
  • Electoral advertising.
  • The election rally.
  • Election polls.
  • The management of the “D” day and the “D+1” day.
  • The permanent campaign.
  • Artivism: activism and mobilization in the campaign.
  • Voting Advice Applications (VAA).
  • Electoral segmentation and microtargeting.
  • Televised electoral debates and their effects.
  • Connected campaigns: communication 2.0 and the integration of social networks in the campaign.

4. Challenges of electoral campaigns in democratic societies

  • Media spectrum and public opinion formation in the campaign.
  • The electoral program as a central axis of communication in the campaign.
  • Spectacle and emotion in political communication inthe campaign: the politainment.
  • Citizen debate on social media.
  • Public institutions during the campaign: communication strategy.
  • Journalism and campaign monitoring: insights from the press, parties and opinion leaders.
  • The management of surveys in the media.
  • Media planning in the campaign.

Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Exercises and practices in class, analysis of practical cases, presentation of works. 15 0.6 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 20, 22
Master classes, lectures, viewing of audiovisual pieces, presentation of cases. 30 1.2 13, 14, 20
Type: Supervised      
Individualized follow-up tutorials and in small groups 6 0.24 10, 20, 21, 22
Preparation and writing of works 35 1.4 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22
Reading and preparation of texts that will be the subject of seminars 25 1 1, 2, 7, 9, 13, 14, 19, 20, 22
Type: Autonomous      
Seminar readings 20 0.8 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, 13, 14, 19, 20, 22
Study of the syllabus of the subject 12 0.48 1, 2, 11, 13, 21, 22

This subject is 6 ECTS, which it implies a total dedication of the student of 150 hours, distributed in:

  • Guided activities (30% and 45h): activities in the classroom with the presence and guidance of the teacher which may consist of lectures, seminars to discuss compulsory readings in small groups and oriented to practical issues and work of practical cases related to the syllabus of the course.
  • Supervised activities (44% and 66h): extracurricular activities carried out by the student in accordance with a work plan designed and subsequently supervised and evaluated by the teacher. It also includes joint tutorials and other similar activities (face-to-face or online) to follow the course.
  • Autonomous activities (21% and 32h): autonomous activities of the student in accordance with the requirements of the subject, such as basic and complementary readings, study of class notes or all those other activities that complement the training that is achieved in this course.
  • Assessment activities (5% and 7h).

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.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Active participation in seminars 10% 1 0.04 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
Dissertation/presentation on an agreed topic or text 40% 3 0.12 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
Group work to simulate an election campaign 50% 3 0.12 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22

Continous evaluation

50% of the mark will correspond to the course work in teams, on the simulation of a suitably proposed and agreed electoral campaign. It must be prepared and delivered in the last sessions of the course. The work will be exposed, debated and defended in class.

The remaining 50% of the mark will correspond to the interventions, assistance during the seminars and presentation of a reading (10%) and to an individual dissertation of a subject or agreed text (40%) on the matter treated during the course.

Students will be entitled to the recovery of the subject if they have been assessed for the set of activities whose weight is equivalent to a minimum of 2/3 of the total grade of the subject. The activity that is excluded from the recovery process is active participation in seminars.

In the case that the student commits any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade of an assessment act, this assessment act will be graded with 0, regardless of the disciplinary process that may be instructed. In the event of several irregularities in the evaluation acts of the same subject, the final grade for this subject will be 0.

Single evaluation

50% will correspond to a face-to-face theoretical test. It must be passed (5 or more points out of 10) to pass the course (essential condition). The test will take place during the exam period.

20% will correspond to the resolution of a case study that will be proposed at the beginning of the semester and must be delivered on the date of the face-to-face written test.

30% will correspond to an individual dissertation on an agreed topic or text on the set of readings worked during the course. This dissertation must be defended in class on the day of the written test.

Students will be entitled to the recovery of the subject if they have been assessed for the set of activities whoseweight is equivalent to a minimum of 2/3 of the total grade of the subject.

Inthe case that the student commits any irregularity that could lead to a significant variation in the grade of an assessment act, this assessment act will be graded with 0, regardless of the disciplinary process that may be instructed. In the event of several irregularities in the assessment acts of the same subject, the final grade for this subject will be 0.

AI: The use of Artificial Intelligence in this assignment is limited to the evaluation activities related to the course work and the preparation of the oral presentation of the seminar readings. Specifically, AI tools, both textual and visual, can help us generate and outline ideas, contextualize concepts, propose prototypes or combine elements in an innovative or alternative way. In the case of its use, it is necessary to explain and correctly cite its use in the preparation of the work. This involves actively indicating in each section of the activity what tools have been used, the objectives, the prompts that have been incorporated, the response obtained and the process that has been followed to review and edit the response. Remember, also, that if you use generative information, no personal, confidential or intellectual property-protected information should be provided. It should be taken into account that inappropriate use of generative AI, with the lack of review of the response obtained or the lack of citation of the tools used, will be considered irregular conduct in the evaluation that may lead to failure of the activity or the course. evaluation act. If in doubt, consult with the teacher.


Bibliography

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Baeza Perez-Fontan, Eduardo (2012). Como crear una campaña electoral de éxito. Madrid: EIUNSA.

Bischof, D., & Senninger, R. (2018). Simple politics for the people? Complexity in campaign messages and political knowledge. European Journal of Political Research, 57(2), 473-495. 

Blasco-Duatis, Marc; Coenders, Germà; Saez, Marc; Fernández-García, Núria i Ferin Cunha, Isabel (2019). Mapping the agenda-setting theory, priming and the spiral of silence in Twitter accounts of political parties. International Journal of Web Based Communities, (1), pàg. 4-24.
 
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Gutiérrez-Rubí, Antoni (2014). Tecnopolítica. El uso y la concepción de las nuevas herramientas tecnológicas para la comunicación, la organización y la acción políticas. Barcelona: Bebookness. 

Gutiérrez-Rubí, Antoni (2020). ARTivismo. El poder de los lenguajes artísticos para la comunicación política y el activismo. Barcelona: Editorial UOC.

Kim, Y. M.; Hsu, J.; Neiman, D.; Kou, C.; Bankston, L.; Kim, S. Y. i Raskutti, G. (2018). The stealth media? Groups and targets behind divisive issue campaigns on Facebook. Political Communication, 35(4), 515-541.

Kotler, P. i Kotler, N. (1999). Political Marketing: Generating Effective Candidates, Campaigns, and Causes. A: B. I. Newman (dir.) (1999).
 
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Pérez García, David (2003). Técnicas de comunicación política. El lenguaje de los partidos. Madrid: Tecnos.

Peytibi, X. i Gutiérrez-Rubí, A. (2019). Las campañas conectadas: comunicación política en campaña electoral. Barcelona: Editorial UOC. 

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Sánchez Muñoz, O i Biglinio Campos, P. (2020). La regulación de las campañas electorales en la era digital : Desinformación y microsegmentación en las redes sociales con fines electorales. Centro de Estudios Políticos y Constitucionales. 

Serrano-Contreras, I. J.; García-Marín, J. i Luengo, Ó. G. (2020). Measuring online political dialogue: does polarization trigger more deliberation?. Media and Communication, 8(4), 63-72.

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Zuiderveen Borgesius, F.; Möller, J.; Kruikemeier, S.; Ó Fathaigh, R.; Irion, K.; Dobber, T. i de Vreese, C. H. (2018). Online political microtargeting: Promises and threats for democracy. Utrecht Law Review, 14(1), 82-96.


Software

The Virtual Campus platform, word processors, spreadsheets, social platforms and audiovisual.


Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 71 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 7 Catalan second semester afternoon