OAGR 2205 - Election Campaigns in a Digital Age

***NEW COURSE***

This course explores the role of digital technology in election campaigns, examining its rapid integration over the past decade. Students will gain critical insights into the dynamics of digital campaigning across various international contexts. Through empirical case studies, the course will investigate key strategies, issues, concepts, and ethical considerations in data-driven campaign practices, offering a comprehensive understanding of how digital technology is reshaping campaigns, political engagement, and voter influence worldwide.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Students gain more knowledge about election campaigns in a new digital age. More specifically, this course contributes to students' knowledge about digital election campaigns, communication strategies, data-driven campaigning (e.g., microtargeting, artificial intelligence), the role of mis- and disinformation, and outside groups and influencers in digital election campaigns.
2. Students will develop their critical thinking skills to describe and analyze digital election campaigns, such as tools for data collection, analysis, and audience targeting of the analysis of campaign metrics.
3. Students' knowledge and skills about election campaigns in a new digital age are integrated into real-world examples, leading to authentic learning contexts. This makes the transfer of the more abstract communication and political science concepts and content more concrete and meaningful for students and can contribute to their complex thinking skills.

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

- Understanding campaign tactics and analyzing communication styles and strategies.
- Use (basic) digital analytics tools and evaluate the effectiveness of campaign messages.
- Translate abstract political communication theory to real-world cases.
- Develop nuanced insights into the role of digital media in elections.

Sanne KRUIKEMEIER
Séminaire
English
- In Class Presence: 4 hours every other week / 24 hours a semester
- Online learning activities: 20 hours
- Reading and Preparation for Class: 40 hours + 25 hours additional independent work
- Research and Preparation for Group Work: 20 hours
- Research and Writing for Individual Assessments: 46 hours + 25 hours additional independent work

Spring 2025-2026
• Group Assignments: Short projects like creating a campaign plan (Session 1-9, students develop a comprehensive digital campaign, from ideas to budget and execution plan, designing social media ads (Session 3), or conducting audience research (Session 4). (30%, during the course)
• Essay: Final essay to discuss how to examine the influence of digital campaigns in a specific country using the theories and concepts learned in this course (60%, at the end)
• Participation: Engagement in class discussions, peer feedback, and hands-on exercises with campaign tools. (10%, during the course)

Group work receives rubric-based, in-class feedback after presentation. Essays use a rubric with feedback on drafts (e.g., outline and RQ, three times during the course). Participation is assessed during class activities.

1. Lorenz-Spreen, P., Oswald, L., Lewandowsky, S., & Hertwig, R. (2023). A systematic review of worldwide causal and correlational evidence on digital media and democracy. Nature human behaviour, 7(1), 74-101.
2. Kim, Y. M., Hsu, J., Neiman, D., Kou, C., Bankston, L., Kim, S. Y., ... & Raskutti, G. (2018). The stealth media? Groups and targets behind divisive issue campaigns on Facebook. Political Communication, 35(4), 515-541.
3. Zuiderveen Borgesius, F., Möller, J., Kruikemeier, S., Ó Fathaigh, R., Irion, K., Dobber, T., ... & de Vreese, C. H. (2018). Online political microtargeting: Promises and threats for democracy. Utrecht Law Review, 14(1), 82-96.
4. Chu, X., Otto, L., Vliegenthart, R., Lecheler, S., de Vreese, C., & Kruikemeier, S. (2024). On or off topic? Understanding the effects of issue-related political targeted ads. Information, Communication & Society, 27(7), 1378-1404.
5. Kefford, G., Dommett, K., Baldwin-Philippi, J., Bannerman, S., Dobber, T., Kruschinski, S., ... & Rzepecki, E. (2023). Data-driven campaigning and democratic disruption: Evidence from six advanced democracies. Party Politics, 29(3), 448-462.