Political communication

Around the world, communication is fundamental to politics and the role of media in society is deeply politicised. Loughborough has a long and distinguished record of analysing how media of all kinds shape—and are shaped by—political power. We have new and distinctive strengths in social media and political communication, reflected in the foundation in 2018 of our new Online Civic Culture Centre (O3C).

Theme Lead: Dr Vaclav Stetka

Loughborough University has been at the forefront of political communication research in the UK for over 25 years, examining campaigns, protest movements, radical politics, democratic deliberation, journalism, populism, media theory, and social media.

Our wide-ranging research is independently recognised as internationally world-leading (REF 2014. 2021). Projects have been supported by the Leverhulme Trust, the British Academy, ESRC, AHRC, the BBC, The Guardian, and the Electoral Commission, among other bodies.

We host the world-leading series Oxford Studies in Digital Politics, edited by Professor Andrew Chadwick. 

  • The power of social media platforms
  • Analysis of election and referendum campaign communication
  • Social media and political engagement
  • Democracy, journalism and the future of news
  • Impartiality and accuracy of news reporting
  • Online misinformation, disinformation, intolerance and hate speech
  • Media audits for third sector organisations and policy actors
  • Nationalism and political identities
  • Political lobbying, activism and citizen engagement
  • Populism
  • Research methods

Research highlights:

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