In this timely study, Ofer Feldman, Sonja Zmerli, and their team of experts shed light on the multiple ways communication affects political behavior and attitudes. Written for students and scholars alike, The Psychology of Political Communicators uses examples from the US, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East to examine the nature, characteristics, content, and reception of communication in three major areas of discourse:

• The style and nature of language used by political actors in the national and international arenas
• The discourse used in nationalist populist movements and during negative campaigns
• The rhetoric of the media as it tries to frame politics, political events, and political actors

Collectively, the essays form a solid foundation on which to understand the different roles language plays in the conduct of politics, the way in which these roles are performed in various situations in different societies and cultures, and the political outcomes of verbal behavior. This book will be of interest to scholars and students of political psychology and communication studies.

About the Author

Ofer Feldman is a Professor of Political Psychology and Behavior at the Faculty of Policy Studies, Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan. He is the author of more than 90 journal articles and book chapters, and more than 100 encyclopedia items, in the fields of political psychology/behavior, communication studies, and Japanese politics, and the sole author, sole editor, and co-editor of 15 books and monographs, including Talking Politics in Japan Today (2004), Seiji shinrigaku [Political Psychology] (in Japanese, 2006), and the Politische Psychologie: Handbuch fur Studium und Wissenschaft [Political Psychology: Handbook for Study and Science] (in German, 2015, with Sonja Zmerli).

Sonja Zmerli is Professor of Political Science at the Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Grenoble, France. Her research interests revolve around social capital, civil society, political support, income inequality, and welfare regimes. Her articles have appeared in Public Opinion Quarterly, European Political Science Review, American Behavioral Scientist, and Social Science Research. Most recently, she has co-edited the Handbook on Political Trust (2017, with Tom van der Meer).

Reviews

'The Psychology of Political Communicators provides a timely and strong set of comparative research studies that analyze how rhetorical political appeals to reason and emotion are challenging liberal democratic societies. The contributors seek to explain a variety of current topics including the rise of populism, Donald Trump's victory, gender discrimination in media, media ownership and trust. Tackling these controversial political and social trends, the volume is organized around three elements of political communication: political discourse and its cultural contexts, politicians in their roles as communicators, and the changing media environment. The chapters help us to understand the crucial and dynamic role of political communicators in shaping preferences and making meaning of the disruptive political world.'

-Ann Crigler, University of Southern California

Book Information
ISBN 9781138596191
Author Ofer Feldman
Format Paperback
Page Count 238
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 340g