85418 - Models of Political Leadership

Learning outcomes

The course provides the analytical tools to examine the phenomenon of the political leadership in its different facets, basing on approaches and research from a range of disciplines : the analysis of political institutions, organization theory, cognitive psychology, and political theory. At the end of the course students are able to distinguish different leadership styles ; to appraise the role and the function of the leadership in contemporary democracies ; to assess the impact of variables such as gender and culture on the selection and the style of political leaders.

Course contents

The course is organized with a part of lectures taught online on MS TEAMS (20 hours) and another taught in presence (20 hours). The number of students allowed in class is determined on the basis of class capacity and by the health and safety provisions that deal with the pandemic emergency. In case more students want to attend classes in presence than permitted by the rules, a system of shifts will be organized so to allow students to participate. Regardless of the health-related conditions and the specific organization of the course, students will be able to follow the lessons of the entire course remotely on MS TEAMS.

Topics covered will be: definition and illustration of the field of political communication; the relationship between political systems and media systems; political language; political marketing; digital media and politics.

Readings/Bibliography

Mazzoleni G. (2012), La comunicazione politica, Bologna: il Mulino (terza edizione)

Aalberg, T., Esser, F., Reinemann, C., DE Vreese e Stromback, J., Populist political communication in Europe, Taylor e Francis, (2016), capitoli n. 27 "Populist Actors as Communicators or Political Actors as Populist Communicators" di J.Stanyer, S.Salgado e J.Stroback e n. 28 "Populism and the Media", di F. Esser, A. Stepinska, D.Hopmann

Ceccobelli D. (2017), Facebook al potere. Lo stile della leadership al tempo dei social media, Santarcangelo di Romagna: Maggioli Editore. (chapters 1 and 2)

Mazzoleni, G., & Bracciale, R. (2019), La politica pop online: i meme e le nuove sfide della comunicazione politica, Bologna: Il Mulino (chapters 3 and 4)

Luebke, S.M. (2020). "Political Authenticity: Conceptualization of a Popular Term." The International Journal of Press/Politics

Teaching methods

Lectures

Assessment methods

Oral exams (until the rules due to Covid-19 wil remain in place).

Office hours

See the website of Diego Ceccobelli