The overarching goals of political communication rarely change, yet political communication strategies have evolved a great deal over the course of American history. This book explores the technological, behavioral, and political forces that bring about disruptive and permanent changes in political communication. Covering over 300 years of political communication revolutions, Ben Epstein provides greater understanding of where we are currently in the recurringpolitical communication cycle, and where we might be headed.

• Table of Contents


• Abbreviations and Acronyms


• Acknowledgments


• Chapter 1: Introduction: The Elements of Political Communication Change


• Phase I: The Technological Imperative


• Chapter 2: The Social and Technological History of Political Communication Change


• Chapter 3: The Technological Imperative: How and When New Communication Technology Becomes Politically Viable


• Phase II: Political Choice


• Chapter 4: Political Choice: The Behavioral Role in Political Communication Change


• Case Studies


• Chapter 5: Political Choice and Campaign Communication Innovation: Why Campaigns Have the Most Consistent Innovation Adoption


• Chapter 6: Innovation by Political Outsiders: Why Social Movements Innovate Early and Why it Rarely Matters


• Chapter 7: Interest Group Innovation: How Different Target Audiences Affect Political Communication Goals


• Phase III: Stabilization


• Chapter 8: The Stabilization Process Then and Now


• Chapter 9: Conclusion: Where We Are and Where We Might Be Headed


• Notes


• Bibliography


• Index

Ben Epstein is Assistant Professor of Political Science at DePaul University and has over 15 years of teaching experience in a variety of high school and university settings around the United States. His research is focused primarily on American political development and political communication innovations, with particular emphasis on the intersection of the internet and politics.