Democracy at Work: Pressure and Propaganda in Portugal and Brazil addresses democracy both as an institutional value system and as a practice. How are the media exerting their mediation role? How are the media re-(a)presenting the political world to society? Are different media voices offering diversified and complementary perspectives on politics? How is propaganda perceived within different democratic and economic contexts? Is political trust and mistrust shaping the strategy of propaganda? These questions are addressed in theoretical and empirical chapters in a book that addresses problems which are in need of urgent discussion, as their impact and consequences are deeply transforming politics and the way politics is communicated, lived and understood by its main actors. Within this framework, Political Communication Studies has a major role in identifying and urging new diagnosis of, and insights into, the political and the media systems, and, above all, how both the people and political institutions can both survive crisis and improve democracy in the Lusophone world. This book aims at making a contribution to that acknowledgment.
About the Author: Rita Figueiras is a professor at the Human Sciences Faculty at the Catholic University of Portugal, coordinator of the PhD program in Communication Studies at the UCP and member of the board of the Research Centre for Communication and Culture (CECC). Her work focuses on political communication, political economy of the media and journalism, particularly in the areas of public opinion, pundits, electoral campaigns, and, more broadly, the relationship between the media and democracy. Along with journal articles and book chapters, she has published several books. Paula Espírito Santo is a professor at the School of Social and Political Sciences (ISCSP) - University of Lisbon (UL), Portugal, and is Visiting Professor at several Universities abroad. She is a Researcher at the CAPP (Public Administration and Public Policies Centre), in the areas of political communication, social sciences methodology and political sociology, including the study of political culture and party members. She conducted several national and international projects (such as about party supporters). Among her contributions there are several chapters and articles, in national and international journals, and several books, namely, Introduction to Methodology of the Social Sciences, Lisbon, Sílabo, 2010. Isabel Ferin Cunha is associated professor at the University of Coimbra (UC), Faculty of Arts and Humanities (FLUC), Portugal, and is Visiting Professor at several Universities abroad. She was Vice Chairman of the Research Centre Media and Journalism (2004-2006; 2011-13) and has coordinated several projects approved by the Foundation for Science and Technology in Portugal, including the Project "Acts of Journalism and Democracy", "TV and Images of Difference "and "Journalistic Coverage of Political Communication". Among her contributions there are several chapters and articles, in national and international journals, and several books, namely Coverage of Political Communication: political systems; media systems and legal framework, Lisbon, Altheia, 2014.