Journalists should consider a Hippocratic Oath before asking Donald Trump anything! I do not own a newspaper or media outlet, nor am I an editor of one. However, as a concerned reader and viewer, may I advise journalists not to ask Donald Trump questions that could have important implications? People or nations could be at … Continue reading A Hippocratic Oath for Asking D. Trump Questions
Political Implications
Green Shoots of Democratic Resilience
Green Shoots of Democratic Resilience Emerging US Cases Donald Trump’s assault on major institutions in the United States has been damaging. The press, universities, Congress, the courts, and established law firms have been seriously compromised, as Trump follows the strategy of other autocrats, such as Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, by simply cutting funding to his enemies. … Continue reading Green Shoots of Democratic Resilience
Political Positioning: A Step Beyond Agenda Setting
Political Positioning the News and Public Affairs Agenda setting has been one of the major social implications of the news. Coverage in the news tells the reader what they should be thinking about, what is important. While the news seldom shifts public opinion – it seldom changes the way a reader thinks about an issue … Continue reading Political Positioning: A Step Beyond Agenda Setting
A Theory of Trump’s Support: Cognitive Dissonance
A Cognitive Dissonance Theory of Support for Trump I find Trump unqualified for any public office - much less the presidency. Consider his ‘speech’ on 29 October at his residence in Florida, replete with exaggerations and lies. To my surprise, many of his followers even dismiss him and his words, often claiming the ‘he didn’t … Continue reading A Theory of Trump’s Support: Cognitive Dissonance
Technology, Society, and Power
Technology & Society Meets Power A new book by Professor Jan van Dijk signals a major shift in debate on technology and society – the increasing centrality of power. I’ve endorsed his book, which is aptly entitled Power and Technology (Polity 2024). Jan van Dijk, an emeritus professor at the University of Twente, has been … Continue reading Technology, Society, and Power
The Symbolic Politics of Labelling Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
What should we call the Russian invasion of Ukraine?
Cognitive Politics
In the preface to Harold D. Lasswell’s (1936: v) book entitled Politics, he famously defined politics as the study of ‘who gets what, when, and how’ – also the subtitle of his book. He went on to argue that influence is central to politics and that “[c]oncepts for the study of influence must be changed … Continue reading Cognitive Politics
The Right to Send Anytime, Anywhere, All at Once
I respect the right of anyone to choose when and how they reply to an email. The person receiving an email has the power to delete, ignore, read, respond immediately or respond whenever they choose. They can even have an automatic response, say over their holiday or weekend, that they are away from work and … Continue reading The Right to Send Anytime, Anywhere, All at Once
Should Elites Get Off Twitter?
Should Elitists Get Off Twitter? An opinion piece in the Financial Times by Janan Ganesh (2022) argued that the real reason to get off Twitter was that it “reeks of low status”. Stay on it long enough and you can “catch” its tone of “domestic mediocrity”. Even elites who use this micro-blogging site should beware … Continue reading Should Elites Get Off Twitter?
Twitter @Freedom of Expression
Twitter debates might put freedom of expression back on the agenda