In Building Theory in Political Communication, Gadi Wolfsfeld, Tamir Sheafer, and Scott Althaus present the first generalizable conceptual framework for political communication that is also falsifiable, explaining how media performance contributes to successful political performance across nations, regime types, and information systems. The book identifies three tensions in the current literature that have thus far prevented a general theory of political communication. The first is a vague understanding of what it means for media to exercise independence from politics. The second is a focus on media in wealthy, Western, and democratic countries. The third is a tendency to build interpretive frameworks that pose as theories, but that cannot be tested. To address these three tensions, this book adapts, refines, and extends the Politics-Media-Politics (PMP) principle, which states that variations in political ecosystems have a major impact on media systems, values, practices, and resources, which can then have dependent, independent, and conditional effects on political processes. With an emphasis on international comparative studies encompassing diverse political systems, the authors move beyond the field's Western focus to show that PMP is useful in a wide range of contexts and subfields. A sophisticated and timely intervention in the field of political communication, this volume presents the PMP principle to help political communication researchers adopt a broader perspective when attempting to ascertain the roles that communication plays in political processes.

About the Author
Gadi Wolfsfeld is Professor of Communication and Head of the Communication and New Media MA program at Reichman University's Sammy Ofer School of Communication. Tamir Sheafer is Professor of Political Science, Professor of Communication and Journalism, and the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Scott Althaus is Merriam Professor of Political Science, Professor of Communication, and Director of the Cline Center for Advanced Social Research at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Reviews
Many good ideas take a decade to mature. That is also the case in this book. Eminent colleagues Wolfsfeld, Sheafer, and Althaus have written a compelling and inspiring 'big picture' book. Their Politics-Media-Politics approach provides a broad framework and a refreshing lens through which to see political communication theorizing. The endeavour is ambitious and likely to inform a new decade of political communication scholarship. * Claes de Vreese, Professor of Political Communication, University of Amsterdam *
In an era of increasingly complex media and political ecosystems, Wolfsfeld, Sheafer, and Althaus' theorizing offers a much-needed prism through which to view sociopolitical developments. Integrating disparate findings across fields and over time and space, their Politics-Media-Politics principle and conceptual map speak incisively to both democratic theory and practice. This big-thinking book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding how our world operates today. * Patricia Moy, Christy Cressey Professor of Communication, University of Washington *
I have often used the PMP principle in my work and teaching as it helps to understand and clarify the complex interactions between politicians and journalists. This ambitious book extends, updates, and deepens the original PMP framework so it can be used in more (non-Western) contexts and in today's political information environment. The authors sketch a sophisticated roadmap, supported by examples from across the globe, that will allow political communication studies to speak to each other and stay on track. * Peter Van Aelst, Professor in Political Communication, University of Antwerp, Belgium *
This book provides the most ambitious attempt so far to integrate almost the entire field of political communication into a single framework. A truly erudite, well-written, and thought-provoking effort. * Stefaan Walgrave, Professor of Political Science, University of Antwerp *


Awards
Winner of Winner, 2023 Hazel Gaudet-Erskine Best Book Award.



Book Information
ISBN 9780197635001
Author Gadi Wolfsfeld
Format Paperback
Page Count 224
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Weight(grams) 308g
Dimensions(mm) 157mm * 234mm * 16mm