Analysis of Political Campaigns
Code
711011063
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Ciências da Comunicação
Credits
6
Teacher in charge
Joana Lourenço Ramalho
Weekly hours
4
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
a) Know the main conceptual instruments needed for the political campaigns analysis;
b) Know how the messages of a political campaign are built;
c) Know how the messages of a political campaign are articulated in the media;
d) Be able to analyse the successes, predictable (if the campaign did not occur) or real, of a political campaign, applying a specific form of SWOT analysis.
Prerequisites
None.
Subject matter
1.This curricular unit proposes an analysis of the way political campaigns are built having in account the messages that they shall communicate to the voters and how they equate the opponents messages;
2. How to build campaign messages taking into account:
a. the factors that may determine the voting;
b. the evaluation of the electoral situation (SWOT analysis); and the psychology of the candidate,
3.T he communication strategy to be adopted:
a. direct contact
b. press
c. radio
d.TV
e. E-mail and NET
4. Case studies
a. National
b. Local
c. International
Bibliography
GEEN, D. P. & Gerber, A.S., 2005 Get Out the Vote: How to Increase the Voter Turnout. Brookings Institution, Cambridge, Mass.
FAUCHEUX, Ronald A., 2003 Winning Elections: Political Campaign Management, Strategy & Tactics, Hardcover.
NIEMI, R. & Weiseberg H.., 2003 Controversies In Voting Behavior. CQ Press, Boston.
RIBEIRO, Rodrigo Mendes, 2002 Marketing Político: O poder da Estratégia nas Campanhas eleitorais, C. Arte.
EDMUNDS, H.. 1997 Focus Group Research Handbook. MacGraw-Hill, Boston.
Teaching method
Theoretical exposure by the teacher (60%) and practical classes (40%) whether of exercises, or oral presentations of team works and debates around some topics. Each student shall produce two written papers. One shall be individual (review of a book) and the second shall be in group (the analysis of a political campaign).
Evaluation method
Each student shall be evaluated by a written element in presence (test or examination) concerning all the given matter and by the accomplishment of an individual written work and of a team work.