Professor Ana Ines Langer
- Professor of Political Communication (Political & International Studies)
telephone:
01413303055
email:
Ana.Langer@glasgow.ac.uk
R1215 Level 12, Politics, Adam Smith Building, Glasgow G12 8RT
Biography
Office Hours: Thursdays 14.00-15.00, or by email appointment
I joined the subject of Politics at Glasgow in September 2006 from the London School of Economics (LSE), where I completed my PhD in Political Communication. My research focuses on political communication: how politics is mediated and how this affects the conduct and nature of the democratic process. Most of my work has focused on the UK and Scotland but I have also done comparative work about countries including Argentina, Germany and China.
I have published articles in European Journal of Communication, International Journal Press/Politics, Parliamentary Affairs, Policy Studies, Political Studies, and West European Politics. My book, 'The Personalisation of Politics in the UK. Mediated Leadership from Attlee to Cameron' (Manchester University Press), was the first in-depth historical study of the phenomenon in the UK.
During the early years of my career, I focused on the personalisation of politics, especially its media dimensions. I still work on the topic but, in the last few years, I have become keenly interested in understanding how the hybrid media environment is affecting ‘classic functions’ of political communication and its impact on democracy. I have recently published work about the Scottish independence referendum campaigns and have work in progress about non-party campaign organisations or ‘satellite’ campaigns.
Most of my current work focuses on analysing how media of different types can shape the policy process. This includes a recent paper about Windrush, published in the International Journal of Press/Politics, and a project (funded by NIHR & MRC) about the role of social media on shaping the Chinese government’s policy response during COVID. I have also started to explore how different platform affordances shape to what extent and how topics are politicised.
Finally, I am working with colleagues in the Glasgow University Media Group and stakeholders to develop a better understanding of the future of the media in Scotland and how it can better serve democracy.
In most of my recent projects I use a mixed methods approach, combining manual content analysis, ‘big data’ methodologies (including quantitative text analysis and network analysis) and qualitative interviewing.
Research interests
- The role of the media in the democratic process
- Media and policy making
- Personalisation of politics
- Political campaigns, the role of different actors and how they use media
Grants
Grants
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NIHR & MRC, 'Covid-19: Understanding Chinese Government Containment Measures and their Societal Impacts', co-PI, with Yajun Bao, Jane Duckett (PI), Yingru Li, Holly Snape, Ting Luo, Hua Wang, Bastian Struve, Weinan Wang, Aofei Lv, Meixuan Chen, Hairong Wang. £333,963, 2020–2022.
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British Academy, 2019-2020 - £7,500 (with Luke Temple): 'Non-party campaigning and digital technologies'
- Adam Smith Research Foundation Seedcorn Fund, 2009-2010 - £1600 (with Jane Duckett): 'Media Reporting of China’s Health Reforms, 2005-09’
- Political Studies Association (PSA) Overseas Conference Grant
Supervision
PhD Supervision
- Political campaigns (including electoral campaigns but also issue campaigns)
- Media and policy making
- The role of the media in the democratic process
- Personalisation of politics
Recent students
- Johannes Gruber: Troublemakers in the streets? An automated framing analysis of newspaper coverage of protests in the UK 1992-2016
- David Jofre (completed 2019): Social movements and media practices in changing media ecology: The case of environmental and LGBTI+ activists in Chile
- Beth Pearson (completed 2018): “The press is plural – it represents all the political parties” Media access for the transitional justice campaign during democratisation in Uruguay (1989-2012)
Teaching
Undergraduate Teaching
- Politics 1A
- Politics, Communication and Democracy
Postgraduate Teaching
- Media and Democracy
Additional information
Other Roles
- Convener of PhD programme in Politics & International Relations
- College and School Undergraduate Teaching & Learning Appeals Committee member
Other Publications & Media
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https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/social-media-campaigns-for-indyref/
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https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/non-party-entities-ge2019/
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The challenges facing "democracy activism" groups in the UK | British Politics and Policy at LSE