Political Communication and Democracy [Hardcover]

Political Communication and Democracy provides a wide-ranging and inclusive study of political communications that uses current political events and debates to illustrate its arguments. Looking beyond the narrow view that political communication concerns only the media and spin doctors, Gary Rawnsley examines the subject in its myriad forms: political parties and pressure groups as a way by which people join together, referendums, public opinion and how communications contribute to the process of democratization around the world.List of Tables List of Figures List of Photographs Acknowldgements Introduction: Crisis? What Crisis? Guarding Against the 'Deep Slumber of a Decided Opinion' Public Opinion Instruments of Expression (i): Group Politics Instruments of Expression (ii): Referendums Political Communications and Democratisation: 'Paladins of Liberty?' Towards a New Democratic Political Communication: Information Communication Technologies and Politics Notes Bibliography Index

'...Rawnsley offers a study of great breadth, ranging widely over Western and non-Western democracies, and offering discussion of public opinion, polling...party and group politics, and referenda.' - Nick Anstead, Political Studies Review

GARY D. RAWNSLEY is Professor and Head of International Studies at the University of Nottingham, Ningbo, China (UNNC). He has published widely in the areas of political communication with particular reference to China and Taiwan. His most recent book is Political Communications in Greater China, edited by Ming-Yeh Rawnsley.