Political Communication, Media, and Democracy

Democracy is more than parliaments and polls. It is also an ideal woven through words, images, actions, and silences. As technology, culture, and geopolitics undergo major transformations, so too does the way societies make demands, contest ideas, and negotiate the struggle for power. To make sense of global crises, mass protests, and ideological realignments, we first need to understand how political ideas are crafted, communicated, and mediated through people, objects, and technologies.

We take a broad view of “media” and “politics,” analyzing political communication across local, national, and transnational contexts—from traditional to social media and the everyday interactions that bind or break societies. By studying the dynamic relationships between media and politics, we shed light on some of the most pressing questions of our time: How are democratic norms challenged, sustained, or reimagined through communication practices? What is the role of information in shaping trust and political engagement? And how might emerging media safeguard—or subvert—democracy’s future?