Handbook

From speeches to slogans to campaign strategies, communication is at the heart of politics. Combining academic and practitioner perspectives, this course gives you the tools to work in political communications. As you develop a critical understanding of language, image, and emotion in political communication, you also will learn how to strategically frame issues through values, how to use polling and other research, and how to write speeches, messages, and advertisements to change minds and win votes. Grounded in an ethical and a critical understanding of the role of public relations and advertising in the political process, you will be introduced to the roles performed by media and communications professionals in electoral politics. Via active learning in practice-based tutorials and detailed case studies, you will gain a critical understanding of the role of communications in contemporary politics and build a foundation of skills in researching, planning, and executing political communications.