Uncivil Wars Political Campaigns in a Media Age

by Thomas A. Hollihan

A critical, multidisciplinary approach both engages and informs students. With insights from the field of journalism, sociology, and political science, Uncivil Wars presents students with a complex picture of the practices and consequences of modern political campaigns. Treating issues of voter apathy, unethical practices, public cynicism, and the failure of political campaigns to serve the public good, Hollihan shows students the problems facing contemporary campaigns and urges them to think about possible solutions. - Unique and groundbreaking coverage of political socialization. Using both communication studies and sociological perspectives, Chapter Three studies the ways in which both candidates and voters develop their political values and how the process of political socialization shapes campaigns. Covering the role of families, education, religion, and the media in the formation of political ideology, this text provides students with unique insights into the campaign behavior of both the candidates and the voters. - A critical assessment of the impact of new technologies and how they have shaped contemporary campaigns. With an entire chapter (Chapter Eight) dedicated to the impact of new technologies, including e-mail, candidate Web sites, and computer-driven voter studies, Uncivil Wars shows how technology has both increased the potential for voter participation and politicians' dependence on image over substance.

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