Category: Politics

• Short Explainer – Is political campaigning online too focused on a few platforms?

  

  Online political campaigning is concentrated on a handful of platforms. A short explainer on why, and what it means for democracy.

  Tristan Hotham

  November 2, 2023

  Politics

  Campaigning, digital communication, election campaigning, Social Media

• Short explainer – What psychological tactics are used in political advertising and what are the implication?

  

  Emotional appeals, fear and other psychological tactics in political advertising, and why they matter for democratic debate.

  Tristan Hotham

  December 20, 2022

  Campaigning, Politics

  campaign finance reform, campaign strategy, data analytics, door-to-door campaigning, emotional appeals, endorsements, ethics in political advertising, fear appeals, Misinformation, negative imagery, negative language, personal attacks, political advertising, psychological tactics, Social Media, storytelling, voter behavior

• Short explainer – Janus-faced campaigning. What is it and why does it matter in the social media age?

  

  Showing different faces to different audiences: what Janus-faced campaigning is and why social media makes it easier.

  Tristan Hotham

  December 18, 2022

  2019 General Election, Janus Faced Campaigning, Politics, Social Media

  2019 General Election, digital communication, facebook adverts, Janus Faced Campaigning, Politics, Social Media, twitter

• Short explainer – The decline of parties thesis and why it matters

  

  Are political parties losing their grip on democracy? The decline-of-parties thesis and what follows if it is right.

  Tristan Hotham

  December 18, 2022

  Decline of Parties Thesis, Personalisation of Politics, Politics, Social Media

  accountability, coalitions, Decline of Parties Thesis, democratic systems, digital communication, effectiveness, electoral process, groups, individualization, Interests, issues, loyalty, oligarchy, party lines, party membership, political parties, political process, populist movements, representation, Social Media, society, special interest groups, stability, values, voters, wealthy individuals

• Short explainer – What is the personalization of politics? What are the negatives and positives?

  

  Politics increasingly centres on personalities, not policy. The upsides and downsides of personalised politics.

  Tristan Hotham

  December 18, 2022

  Echo Chambers, Fake News, Filter Bubbles, Personalisation of Politics, Politics, Social Media

  accountability, ballot box, beliefs, branding, cult of personality, diversity, electoral process, engagement, governance, issues, marketing, media, negatives, personality, Personalization of Politics, policies, policy discussions, policy expertise, political candidates, positives, societal norms, superficial matters, values, voters