1. History and Theory Gianpietro Mazzoleni La comunicazione politica Chapter 1

2. The sources of political communication A multidisciplinary field of research – Political science – Sociology – Anthropology – Science of communication and public opinion – Psychology – Rhetoric – Marketing

3. First steps of political communication Greek polis: rhetoric as art of persuasion Republic of Rome and Northern Italy comuni: elections and electoral campaigns Machiavelli: communication as control Age of Enlightenment: free journalism as opposition to governments Liberal democracy: modern political communication arises in the XIX century

4. Twentieth century, the mass media (and beyond) Cinema Radio Television Social media

5. Political communication as a debate … … face to face and activated by the civil society … – Public sphere – Public space – Market of ideas … or mediatized and deterred by the videopolitics?