popularisering

Popularisation of politics

and its effects on the young

Chris Aalberts

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - 4 december 2006 - www.chrisaalberts.nl

Program

• Introduction• Opinions on popularisation• Examples of popularisation• Methods• Young people and politics• Young people and popularisation


Introduction (1)

What is popularisation? • Combinations of popular culture and

politics• Low culture opposed to high culture• Institutional politics

For example:• Politicians’ appearances on MTV• Pop stars’ songs about the war in Iraq


Introduction (2)

Why is popularisation relevant?

• Popularisation as an empirical phenomenon• How do people perceive popularisation?

• Traditional media do not reach every citizen• Does popularisation replace traditional

media?


Opinions on popularisation (1)

Popularisation is a good development

Hypothesis • Alternative media are necessary for the

maintenance of democracy• Popularisation will reach new audiences• Popularisation will reconnect these

audiences to the public sphere


Opinions on popularisation (2)

Popularisation is a threat to democracy

Hypothesis• Popularisation distracts audiences from the

public good• Popularisation does not really inform

citizens• Popularisation is like propaganda


Popularisation (1)

News• Policy, opinions• Results of policies• Opposition• Political qualities• -• -• -• -

Entertainment• -• -• -• Personal qualities• Character• Image• Personality• Private life


Popularisation (2)

News• Professional

interviewer• Serious style• Meant to inform• Distance• Closed• Objective

Entertainment• Interviewer =

personality• Informal style• Meant to entertain• Engaged• Open • Subjective


Popularisation (3)

News• Questions, debate• Formal setting• No music• No sandwich elements• No participating

audience

Entertainment• Chat• Entertaining setting• Music• Sandwich elements• Participating audience


Talk shows

Different types:• Personality shows• Audience discussion programs• Serious talk shows

• Normal people• Personal stories• Authenticity


Youth programs

• Politicians appear in programs with an MTV-style

• Politicians talk about issues relevant to the young

• Politicians mental age • Politicians knowledge of young people• Politicians ability to speak the language of

the young


Pop stars

• Political causes• Leftist issues• Credibility• Similar to advertising

• New publics• New issues


Methods

Quantitative approaches• Many different examples• Effects studies are almost impossible

Qualitative approaches• Building theory• Perceptions on popularisation


Young people and politics (1)

Frame 1: politics is important• Politics is important• Voting is important• Rational voting• Rational discussion• Political education

• Differences between subgroups



Frame 2: politics is boring• Politics on television is dull• Nothing happens when people talk• Political issues are irrelevant• Political activists are strange




Why is politics boring?• Appearance of politicians• Age of politicians• Opinions of politicians• The way politicians talk


Young people and popularisation (1)

Frame 1: popularisation is not political• Popularisation lacks information• Popularisation is not serious• Popularisation is not objective




Frame 2: popularisation is boring• Politics is always the same• Politics is not fun• Politics pretend to be young• Pop stars pretend to be interested in

politics




Third person effect• Popularisation informs others• Popularisation is interesting to others• Others like popularisation

Why?• Others are uninformed• Others do not want to be informed


Conclusion

Popularisation does not change politics• Frames on politics and popularisation are

the same• Positive and negative expectations on

popularisation seem to be a third person effect

• More research is needed on concrete examples


popularisering

News & Politics