Research Seminar - Birds of a feather? Trump, Chavez and the populist communication style in times of discursive disruption
Birds of a feather? Trump, Chávez and the populist communication style in times of discursive disruption
Presented by Dr Elena Block
Date: 15 September, 2017
Time: 3pm-4pm
Location: Room 601, Michie Building (#9)
Abstract:
Discursive disruption — loosely defined as the breakdown of the conventions and power relations of a fatigued Western liberal democracy — has become the new normal. The aim of this paper is twofold: first, it will seek to understand the advance and allure of the populist communication style in the era of mediatization. It proposes a critical framework based on three categories—identity construction, rhetorical style, and relationship with the media—to assess the relevant features of the communicative styles of left-wing Chávez and right-wing Trump. Second, drawing on lessons from Chávez’s Venezuela, this paper will seek to explore three threads of analysis:
- the rise and normalization of Trump’s populist communication style;
- the fierce confrontation Trump-media and intense mediatisation of politics as happened in Venezuela, where Chávez made a ‘brutal’ use of media;
- whether the populist communication style – as practiced in Venezuela but also elsewhere – leads to the disruption not only of the political conversation but of the political system itself.
Presenter:
Dr Elena Block is a Honorary Research Fellow and sessional lecturer at The University of Queensland's School of Communication and Arts. She has a PhD in Political Communication from The University of Queensland and an MSc from the London School of Economic and Political Science (LSE). She has a long trajectory as a journalist, media relations and public affairs executive in Venezuela. Her main areas of interest include: political communication and public affairs; the populist communication style; discursive disruption; the mediatisation of politics; political communication in Hugo Chávez's Venezuela.

About Research Seminar and Workshop Series
The research seminar and workshop series' occur each semester, each with a different topic and guest speaker from UQ or otherwise.
Unless otherwise advertised, the seminars occur on a Friday afternoon from 3-4 pm in the Digital Learning Space (Room 224) in the Joyce Ackroyd Building (#37).
Semester 2, 2018 Seminars & Workshops
Monday, 23 July |
Strategic communication in the age of global information warfare: How it works Digital Learning Space (Room 224, Level 2), |
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Friday, 3 August 3-4pm |
Algorithmic cultural recommendation: the coded gaze and Google’s face match up Digital Learning Space (Room 224, Level 2), |
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Friday, 10 August 9:30am-11:00am |
Researching Media Platforms: A Research Methods Conversation Seminar Room, Level 4, Forgan Smith Tower, UQ St Lucia |
Dr Angela Wu (New York University) |
Friday, 10 August 3-4 pm |
LNR ethics information session Digital Learning Space (Room 224, Level 2), |
A/Prof Liz Mackinlay |
Friday, 17 August |
Digital Learning Space (Room 224, Level 2), |
Prof Ling Chen |
Friday, 24 August 3-4pm |
Hey Siri! How should I title my talk? Digital Learning Space (Room 224, Level 2), |
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Friday, 31 August |
Tastemaking in Post-digital Literary Culture: The Role of Book Blogs Digital Learning Space (Room 224, Level 2), |
Dr Beth Driscoll |
Friday, 7 September 3-4pm |
Digital Learning Space (Room 224, Level 2), |
Dr Ted Nannicelli |
Friday, 14 September TBC |
HDR forum; Research Data Management workshop; Postgraduate Student Welcome | |
Friday, 21 September 3-4pm |
Young Adult Fantasy: Policing Genre Boundaries Digital Learning Space (Room 224, Level 2), |
A/Prof Kim Wilkins |
Friday, 5 October 3-4pm |
Digital Learning Space (Room 224, Level 2), |
Dr Marg Henderson |
Wednesday, 28 November 1pm-3:30pm |
Workshop - Writing ARC grants: tips and guidance from the experts Digital Learning Space (Room 224, Level 2), |
Panel |