OAFP 6095 - From poetry to prose: how to bridge the gap between campaigning and governing

According to a famous adage, politicians must "campaign in poetry and govern in prose". But what happens in reality when the demands of political communication collide with the imperatives of policymaking? Through the comparative analysis of concrete cases from the past and present, the purpose of this course is to examine the different aspects of the delicate balance that every political leader and his team have to strike between politics and policy. What are the challenges involved in the first 100 days of government that mark the transition from campaign to government? What adjustments are required on the part of both candidates and their advisors once they're in office? What are the differences in the use of new media? And what can be done to keep control of the narrative in view of a re-election campaign? These questions will be addressed in this course both from a practical and from a reflective perspective with the aim of providing a realistic view on the evolution of contemporary politics, one that takes into account both the striking innovations and the hidden continuities that mark today's political scene.

Giuliano DA EMPOLI

Enseignement électif

English

Required readings (general list + individual sessions material).

None.

Autumn 2022-2023

Collective role-playing activities (45%). Students will be introduced to “real-world” situations and asked to engage in different settings, with multiple characters and conflicts. Individual written assignement (45%). Students will be allowed to choose between different formats: critical essay, case study, etc. Overall student participation (10%).

Each session will be divided into two parts: a lecture part and a part of discussion and group exercises.