Political Communication

Doris Graber, with assistance from James M. Smith, offers some direction for the future of Political Communication research in the article "Political Communication Faces the 21st Century," in the September 2005 Journal of Communication. They begin by chronicling the research that is most often accomplished and successfully published in the top Communication and Political Science journals. They go on to point out that social scientists in the field have consistently focused on studying elections and electoral politics and have become increasingly interested in studying political advertising, political debates, and the role the media play in addressing

civic learning and global issues. It is clear from these trends that much of the political communication research that does occur addresses the very intersection of publicly minded political events and the effect, influence, and impact that these phenomenon have upon private citizens.

It is important to note that the recommendations which ensue are based upon the "belief that scholars, as citizens of their country and the world, should prioritize research that holds the promise of improving political life" (498). The authors are clear in stating this perspective and the suggestions that follow undoubtedly fall into this framwork. They begin with the intersection of research and policy, which they view as inherently intertwined. They feel that the study of policy issues can "...inform policy makers about the likely consequences of current laws and about the lessons that should guide future legislation" (495). Similarly, they point to the need for increased study of public information campaigns and their effectiveness at communicating important issues to the public. These campaigns often utilize the media in order to publicize their messages, and Graber and Smith suggest that the media should also be studied for their cultural and political implications. Specifically, they purport that future study of "what makes political news stories unattractive and what could be changed to make them...(more) appealing" could be a critical area for the intersection of research and public scholarship. Judging from these recommendations, it seems quite possible that public scholarship can naturally emerge from many of the research priorities within the sub-field of political communication, and that this relationship offers many opportunities for future study.

Reference: Graber, Doris and James M. Smith. "Political Communication Faces the 21st Century." Journal of Communication 55, no. 3 (2005): 479-507.