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Inside the NDP War RoomCompeting for Credibility in a Federal Election |
eBook Available
A first-hand account of how decisions to represent political parties are made.
The federal election campaign of 2005-06 offered the usual mix of lofty rhetoric, competing interests, and skullduggery. Nonetheless, this campaign laid the foundation for a major shift in Canadian politics, bringing the Conservative Party to power and changing the balance of opposition parties.
Inside the NDP War Room takes readers behind the scenes to investigate the nature of credibility in the complex communicative game of election campaigns. James McLean considers the ways in which the idea of credibility is used to explain how messages are crafted and articulated, how journalists are implicated, and what the Canadian public needs to know about what is at stake in the competition for votes. He talks to insiders about their communication practices and strategies, and reflects upon the grand narratives and small opportunistic moments brought before the Canadian public when power is up for grabs.
A vivid, first-hand account of campaign strategizing, Inside the NDP War Room offers insights into the NDP breakthroughs of 2011, the full meaning of Quebec's "orange wave," and the future of a party preparing for a new reality.
Inside the NDP War Room takes readers behind the scenes to investigate the nature of credibility in the complex communicative game of election campaigns. James McLean considers the ways in which the idea of credibility is used to explain how messages are crafted and articulated, how journalists are implicated, and what the Canadian public needs to know about what is at stake in the competition for votes. He talks to insiders about their communication practices and strategies, and reflects upon the grand narratives and small opportunistic moments brought before the Canadian public when power is up for grabs.
A vivid, first-hand account of campaign strategizing, Inside the NDP War Room offers insights into the NDP breakthroughs of 2011, the full meaning of Quebec's "orange wave," and the future of a party preparing for a new reality.
Details
232 Pages, 6 x 9
ISBN 9780773540934
October 2012
Formats: Paperback, eBook
"McLean breaks new ground by both providing insight into the inner workings of Canadian federal politics and grounding his real-world experience in a fascinating theoretical discussion. Inside the NDP War Room is an exceedingly well-written book." Paul Benedetti, Faculty of Information and Media Studies, Western University
James S. McLean is a professor of journalism at Concordia University and co-editor of Public Art in Canada: Critical Perspectives.
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction 3
1 Campaigning in Canada: The Credibility Quotient 16
2 Bourdieu’s Fields and Capitals: The Implications for
Political Life 30
3 The War Room 52
4 The War Room in Action: Tactics 71
5 The War Room at Work: Strategies 93
6 The War Room, Journalism, and Public Discourse 119
7 Political Communication and the Journalistic Field 141
Conclusion: Adjusting the Grand Narrative 166
Notes 187
Bibliography 203
Index 213
Introduction 3
1 Campaigning in Canada: The Credibility Quotient 16
2 Bourdieu’s Fields and Capitals: The Implications for
Political Life 30
3 The War Room 52
4 The War Room in Action: Tactics 71
5 The War Room at Work: Strategies 93
6 The War Room, Journalism, and Public Discourse 119
7 Political Communication and the Journalistic Field 141
Conclusion: Adjusting the Grand Narrative 166
Notes 187
Bibliography 203
Index 213
