Public Debates as a Source of Political Data

Abstract

Relying on mass media content as a source for political analysis has a long tradition in political science, particularly in the field of political communication. The public sphere is seen by many as the central venue for political contestation in modern democracies (Bennett 2001; Ferree et al. 2002; Kriesi 2004; Manin 1995). Citizens rely fundamentally on the mass media to obtain information on contested issues and politicians’ differing views. Political actors compete for scarce public attention to gain political influence, and this holds for governments, parties, interest groups, and social movements alike — although the latter depend even more on access to the public sphere as they lack institutionalized channels to the political system. Conflict over Europe is no exception in this regard. Politicians invest heavily in public communication in order to convey their views on whether Europe is a relevant issue and what European integration is essentially about, and to convince citizens of their attitudes on Europe.