Projects / Programmes
Mass media, the public sphere and social changes
January 1, 2009
- December 31, 2014
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 5.06.00 |
Social sciences |
Political science |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| S265 |
Social sciences |
Press and communication sciences |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 5.08 |
Social Sciences |
Media and communications |
information, communication, mass media, press, popular culture, public sphere, rhetoric, democracy, human rights, media discourse, internet
Researchers (20)
Organisations (1)
Abstract
Program aktualizira vprašanje pomena in značaja množičnih medijev, ki delujejo kot "narrator, advocate and weathercock" (Bryce) in s tem oblikujejo človekove življenjske stile ter skupaj z drugimi asociacijami oblikujejo individualna mnenja in javno mnenje ter dosegajo politične učinke. Tehnični razvoj oz. razvoj komunikacijske tehnologije ne spodbuja samoumevno polnega, demokratičnega razvoja komuniciranja kot človekove generične sposobnosti in potrebe, ampak lahko to človekovo sposobnost in potrebo tudi zlorablja oz. zvaja na sredstvo za doseganje zunanjih smotrov. Specifični komunikacijski temelji demokracije so posebej poudarjeni v sodobnem razumevanju deliberativne in asociativne demokracije (v nasprotju s klasičnima konceptualizacijama reprezentativne in participativne demokracije). Posvetovanje in povezovanje sta prvovrstna komunikacijska pojava. Eno bistvenih vprašanj pri tem je, ali je "konverzacija duša demokracije" (Schudson). Kompleksnost sodobnega sveta negira možnost, da bi bil interaktivni dialog (edini) komunikacijski temelj demokracije. V komunikacijski perspektivi bi demokracijo prej lahko razumeli kot "mnogogovor" konkurenčnih, dopolnjujočih in prekrivajočih se procesov in sporočil, ki nastajajo in potekajo na različnih ravneh, pomagajo posameznikom oblikovati, uveljavljati in končno dosegati življenjske načrte ter - v najširšem smislu - zadevajo kakovost individualnega in skupnega življenja.
Significance for science
This research programme addresses normative-theoretical and empirical issues of the relationship between the media, public sphere and democratic development. The normative concept of the public sphere – with the principle of publicness representing the very heart of the concept – is central in (a) conceptualising the role of the media in social and political life of contemporary democracies, and (b) providing a richer basis in theory and empirical evidence for debates over political and cultural implications of the processes of digitisation, mediatisation, globalisation, and commercialisation in media and society at large. Contemporary problems of (representative) democracy and attempts of democratic theory to overcome the ‘democratic deficit’ are closely related to those processes. As we pointed out in the application for the continuation of the programme, the programme focuses on issues that are defined as the key issues in several European documents. The recently published ESF Forward Look Report Media in Europe: New Questions for Research and Policy (2014) suggests that “an important avenue for research in the field, which ties in with our considerations on participation, concerns how the public sphere is being altered through the use of new media, namely social media platforms, by politicians, citizens and alternative news services”. Similarly, the Work Programme 2014 – 2015 of Horizon 2020 – in section “Europe in a changing world: inclusive, innovative and reflective societies” – postulates that “research is expected to … contribute to debates on policy initiatives aimed at strengthening the public sphere to allow for more open and more rigorous debate on European topics within national media.” It is in these contexts that our research programme has been designed. Its execution in the 2009-2014 period put in the forefront the following research topics: 1. Transformation and Europeanization of the (Slovenian) public sphere; 2. Cultural and historical aspects of the formation of classes and mass communication; 3. The mass media and journalists' professional identity in a changing media environment of the European Union; 4. The culture of intimate communication in the online public sphere.
Significance for the country
Exploring changes in the public sphere, communication effects and barriers in the (Slovenian) political space, and the changes in this area brought about by new media is crucial for understanding the broader social and political context in which modern democratic institutions operate. Our research provides an updated view intended to feed into future research in the area and participation in the international division of labour in the European research area and university education as well as to inform policy and practice and develop (political) culture in Slovenia. Research into communication processes in the formation and evolution (or decline) of the public sphere, accounting for the development of mass media, journalism and alternative strategies of public (re)presentation, is of crucial importance to understand complex contemporary media(ted) societies and social changes in general. Preventing all attempts to subordinate free communication activities of the people to political and economic institutions is crucial to maintaining a holistic and autonomous development of individuals and society as a whole. Issues of further development and regulation of the mass media in the context of European institutions are important for Slovenia’s future. In Slovenia the use of new media is widespread in various domains, especially in transmitting the content of traditional mass media via World Wide Web as well as in the extensive use of social networks media, in particular by younger generation (e.g. blogs, twitter, social network media such as Facebook, Second Life). Slovenian profit, non-profit and nongovernmental organisations use new media to communicate with their publics. In the last decade many specialised agencies emerged that offer services of planning and developing various types of ‘new media’. It is therefore especially important to follow the implementation of new technologies in communication and political processes in Slovenia over time to explain them both terms of theory and empirical significance and thereby contribute to the understanding of the use of new media and changes in the public sphere in Slovenia. New media are often believed to have an important emancipatory potential that would enable the empowerment of citizens, but obviously this potential could also be abused. This is specifically reflected in various strategies used in hate speech comments in news web sites; these findings may be particularly useful for the media companies to formulate ways of restricting hate speech. The development of new media also influences the journalistic profession, which is one of the objects of study in the research programme. Our research findings will significantly contribute to the development of media and journalism studies, to the understanding of audiences and journalistic practices; they will be also implemented in journalism and communication education.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
2012,
2013,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
2012,
2013,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
