Media and Politics

The Media and Politics Group (MPG) aims to act as a forum for discussion between a wide variety of academics with interests in the study of media policy, journalism, political communications, new information technologies and other topics.

The Group always contributes a stream of panels to the PSA annual conference, as well as running its own successful annual conference. The Media & Politics Group operates an open and inclusive policy, and empirical, theoretical, and practice-based research dealing with any aspect of media and politics is welcomed. This may include areas of political communication and journalism, but also includes a broader view of the political within such areas as online media, television, cinema and media arts, both factual and fictional.

You can request lifetime membership of the MPG through the PSA website. If you are a PSA Member, then membership of the MPG is free.

The Group convenors are Dr Jen Birks, Professor Alec Charles, Dr James Dennis, Dr Emily Harmer, and Dr Katy Parry.

Follow Updates from the Media and Politics Group

Newsletter: If you would like to join our mailing list, please email Katy Parry (k.j.parry@leeds.ac.uk).

If you have items for our newsletter, including announcements of publications, call for papers and contributions, and relevant job advertisements, please email Emily Harmer (e.harmer@liverpool.ac.uk).

Twitter: @psampg

YouTube: PSA Media and Politics Group

PSA MPG Annual Conference: Standing Together? Communities, Media and Politics [Online]

The next MPG Annual Conference will be held 15-16 December 2021 at Canterbury Christ Church University. You can view the Call for Papers here. The deadline for abstracts has now passed. Further information on how to register for the conference will be made available soon.

Political Studies Association Annual International Conference — Media and Politics Group Themed Panels [Hybrid Conference]

The PSA Media and Politics Group invites members to submit paper abstracts or panel proposals for the PSA Media and Politics stream at the PSA Annual International Conference 2022. The conference is due to be held 10-13 April 2022 at the University of York. You can view the Call for Papers here. The deadline for abstracts is Monday, 27 September 2021. Please note, this is an earlier deadline than the direct individual submission to the PSA.

PSA MPG Seminar Series

In 2021 we launched a virtual seminar series. These monthly meetings offer an informal, supportive, and friendly space for colleagues to share their work, network with others, or even just to come along and listen. Past seminars include:

09/06/2021: Dr Lone Sorensen’s (University of Leeds) in conversation with Dr Katy Parry, discussing her new book Populist Communication: Ideology, Performance, Mediation (Palgrave). Watch here.

14/07/2021: Dr Paul Reilly (University of Sheffield) in conversation with Dr Emily Harmer, discussing his new book Digital Contention in a Divided Society: Social Media, Parades and Protests in Northern Ireland (Manchester University Press). Watch here.

15/09/2021: Panel — Uses and Abuses of Information and Disinformation: Power, Politics and Media with Dr Emma Briant (Bard College) and Dr Natalie Martin (University of Nottingham). Watch here.

13/10/2021: Professor Darren Lilleker (Bournemouth University) — Overcoming the Crises and Reversing the Crisis of Political Communication: Towards a More Three-Dimensional Model. Watch here.

17/11/2021: Dr Abi Rhodes (University of Nottingham) — Social Movements in Elections: UK Anti-Austerity and Environmental Campaigning 2015-19. Book a ticket here.

We will announce our upcoming speakers in the Media and Politics Group newsletter. 

You can watch previous seminars on the PSA MPG YouTube channel.