INTRODUCTION: 21st-century political campaigning
Authors: Jackson, D., Kalsnes, B., Lilleker, D.G., Mellado, C., Trevisan, F. and Veneti, A.
Journal: The Routledge Handbook of Political Campaigning
Pages: 1-12
DOI: 10.4324/9781003333326-1
Abstract:If political communication is the life-blood of a democracy, political campaigning is the beating heart pumping the political ideas and ideologies that make for a pluralist society. This introductory chapter sets political campaigning in the context of democratic life. Campaigns are constructed for major national elections but are also a constant feature of political life; they range from highly visible social movement campaigns like Black Lives Matter to neighbourhood activism. The chapter highlights the importance of the latter campaigns, emanating from civil society, in filling gaps in representative democracies. The chapter also offers an overview of the concept of professionalisation, showing how campaigning has evolved and how its trajectory is driven by socio-political change and technological innovation. After setting out our approach to the subject, the chapter finally provides an overview of the thematic sections and how these interlink to provide an inclusive perspective on campaigning at present and in the future.
Source: Scopus