Emotions, Media And Politics

Emotion has long been neglected in media research, although its role is a vital ingredient in shaping our shared stories and the ways we engage with them. But emotions, as they circulate through the media, can also be divisive and exclusionary. 

Karin Wahl-Jorgensen makes the case for researching the role of emotion in mediated politics. Drawing on a series of studies, she explores the complex relationship between emotions, politics and media. The book includes analyses of how Facebook structures emotional reactions, the anger of Donald Trump, the use of personal storytelling in feminist Twitter hashtags, the role of emotionality in award-winning journalism, and the communities created by political fandoms. 

Essential reading for scholars and students, this important book opens up new ways of thinking about and researching emotions, media and politics.

Karin Wahl-Jorgensen is Professor of Journalism, Media and Communications at Cardiff University.