What is political communication, exactly?

? According to one of the leading political communication departments in the country at George Washington University political communication is "the study of the flow of information through political processes: the study of who knows what, when, where and how; and how people use their information to further political goals." In this program, I hope to receive instruction in the practice and theory of contemporary political communication. On the practical side, I'll learn such skills as social science research techniques, journalistic methods, electronic media production, and political speaking and debating, as well as do political fieldwork to acquire hands-on experience. Abstract thinking, however, is also a component; the political communication major, like political science, involves concentrated political analysis through historical, psychological, and philosophical perspectives. This is clearly best achieved with an integrative, liberal arts approach.

 

Why political communication is right for me

I got into my first political discussion at age 4. I participated in my first campaign at age 8. I ran my first campaign at age 18. I'm currently consulting with 6 different candidates, and working at a policy think tank. I'm what people call a political junkie. But more than that, I am interested in political communication as an academic study. It is unique in the sense that political communication and media research have direct implications for how things are practically done in the field. The actions of individual actors and changing communication methods are constantly inspiring new and important research. This major would allow me to integrate many different fields in hopes of having a more comprehensive understanding of historical, current, and future states of political information and how political information moves through and affects various aspects of our society. An undergraduate degree in political communication is very marketable; I could pursue jobs in political consulting, public affairs, political journalism, public diplomacy, speechwriting, or political advertising.

 

Senior Project (original)

Partly because my senior year is political eons away, and partly because there are many elements of political communication that are rapidly evolving right now, I am unsure of exactly the form my senior integrative project will take. However, I am hoping to explore how candidates bridge the ever widening technology gaps among voters of different generations, especially considering the finite resources of any given campaign. That expensive flashy website may seem great for Joe Ole, but Grandma never could figure out the "interwebs". I believe this will be the main problem facing campaigns in the future, and very little has been done to look into how this affects campaign decision making. Addressing this will probably involve an in depth case study, as well as some wider survey research, which I ultimately hope to present to interested students and faculty.

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