Emotion, this presentation will argue, is a central and systematically overlooked element of mediated politics and will look specifically at the role of anger as a political emotion.
Anger has historically been viewed as a “dangerous” emotion in public life, associated with uncontrollable aggression and violence. Yet social movement scholars have discerned a mobilising potential in anger. Through sharing the experience of being angry about particular forms of injustice, individuals, whether they are politicians, citizens or activists, are empowered to take action.
This presentation looks at how anger is represented as a political emotion in a variety of mediated contexts, including routine protest coverage, the EU Referendum campaign, and the rise of Donald Trump, and calls for a more productive and political understanding of anger.
About the speaker
Karin Wahl-Jorgensen is Professor in the Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies at Cardiff University, Wales.
Her research focuses on journalism and citizenship, and she has authored or edited five books, including Disasters and the Media (Peter Lang, 2012, with Mervi Pantti and Simon Cottle), and Handbook of Journalism Studies (Routledge, 2009, co-edited with Thomas Hanitzsch). She is currently working on Emotions, Media and Politics for Polity Press. She has authored close to 50 journal articles as well as 30 book chapters.