Abstract
The dissertation presents the first comprehensive analysis of the political communication elite– high-ranking journalists, editors, politicians and their communication advisors – that shapes the content and form of political messages, news, debate and decisions in modern democracies. Although there is no shortage of research on the changing nature of politics due to the increasing influence of the media, the relations between the key elites in the age of ‘mediated politics’ have yet to be analyzed thoroughly.
Theoretically, the dissertation provides a new bridge between elite theory and political communication studies that allows us to view high-ranking journalists and editors as elites in their own right, entering into enduring relations with political elites. Based on the combination of these two otherwise separated disciplines, the dissertation develops an integrated and comprehensive model of elite cohesion in political communication, focusing on the extent and patterns of attitudinal cohesion among elites.
Empirically the dissertation builds on unique survey data from more than 1,500 high-ranking politicians and journalists in six European countries (Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, France and Spain). The analysis traces similarities in attitudes between media and political elites as well as the often-neglected level of internal cohesion of each elite group. These attitudinal patters are then found to be linked systematically to particular conditions in the six countries, and to have effects on individual interaction patterns of elites.
Theoretically, the dissertation provides a new bridge between elite theory and political communication studies that allows us to view high-ranking journalists and editors as elites in their own right, entering into enduring relations with political elites. Based on the combination of these two otherwise separated disciplines, the dissertation develops an integrated and comprehensive model of elite cohesion in political communication, focusing on the extent and patterns of attitudinal cohesion among elites.
Empirically the dissertation builds on unique survey data from more than 1,500 high-ranking politicians and journalists in six European countries (Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, France and Spain). The analysis traces similarities in attitudes between media and political elites as well as the often-neglected level of internal cohesion of each elite group. These attitudinal patters are then found to be linked systematically to particular conditions in the six countries, and to have effects on individual interaction patterns of elites.
| Originalsprog | Engelsk |
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| Forlag | Freie Universität Berlin |
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| Status | Udgivet - okt. 2015 |
| Udgivet eksternt | Ja |