Izvorni znanstveni članak
https://doi.org/10.22572/mi.29.1.1
They Do Not Want to Be a Burden to Their Party: Political Communication in Croatia Regarding Corruption and Other Scandals (2010 – 2021)
Dražen Lalić
; Fakultet političkih znanosti, Sveučilište u Zagrebu
Marin Galić
; Fakultet političkih znanosti, Sveučilište u Zagrebu
Anita Culifaj
; Fakultet političkih znanosti, Sveučilište u Zagrebu
Sažetak
Various scandals involving politicians and other public officials have been a common occurrence on the Croatian political scene over the last decade. The communication of the actors involved in this awkward moment for them has so far not been the subject of research by social scientists in this area. Due to the great technical development of the media, distinct personalization of communication and other reasons, politicians are more than aware of the importance of their presence in public, which includes crisis communication in certain situations. The paper examines whether there is a common, generally accepted pattern in this communication involving politicians and the media pertaining to their specific habitus, as well as whether the dynamics of the politicians’ communication from the beginning of the affair to its public end are predominantly in line with their loyalty to their parties and institutions. The method used within this research is qualitative content analysis. In the period from 2010 to 2021, 35 scandals involving politicians and public officials were analysed (a total of 471 statements), which, in terms of quantity and content, adequately represent the communication of key actors in the scandals. Research has shown that crisis communication takes place over three stages: during the first stage, politicians try to deny the existence of the scandal and their responsibility for it at all costs. In the second stage, they mostly shift the blame, first onto the media, then other actors involved in the scandal, but also political rivals. In doing so, they use personalization in communication and rely on their image. The third stage involves confronting the party in whose favour politicians subordinate their interests. When it comes to that stage, it has been determined that political communication takes place predominantly in accordance with the loyalty to the party. The research has also shown that during all three stages of communication, politicians use their capital intensively, notably the social one, in order to suppress accusations, i.e. strengthen their public image and reputation within their parties.
Ključne riječi
scandals; crisis communication; politicians; political communication; habitus; Croatia
Hrčak ID:
304799
URI
Datum izdavanja:
19.6.2023.
Posjeta: 847 *