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Geopolitics, Public Communication and Social Cohesion Facing the Crisis of Democracy: Risks and Challenges

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A special issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760). This special issue belongs to the section "International Relations".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 January 2023) | Viewed by 32103

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Prof. Dr. Concha Pérez Curiel

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Communication, University of Seville, 41840 Seville, Spain
Interests: political communication; political journalism; disinformation; public sphere; populism; social media
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Rubén Rivas-de-Roca

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Guest Editor

Department of Journalism II, Faculty of Communication, University of Seville, 41092, Seville, Spain
Interests: political communication; quality journalism; local media; European Public Sphere; EU communication policy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In times of global crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change or financial crises, the social cohesion of democracies is threatened. The geopolitical battle for global influence and a public communication model that takes place in social networks encourage polarization and disinformation, with consequences for the public sphere.

Leaders, the media and citizens, as digital prosumers, build a story on digital platforms that can revert to the unity of territories, consolidate extremist ideologies or foster fragmentation between states. Conversely, reports and opinion polls, from electoral contests or otherwise, highlight audiences’ distrust in politics, citizens’ disaffection with the media and institutions’ loss of credibility. Populism is growing, and there is an added risk for the development of full democracy.

The objective of this Special Issue is to explore the main conflicts that put social cohesion and integrity between states at risk (European and global geopolitics). Furthermore, it aims to analyze the strategies of governments and public institutions in favor of social welfare and understand perceptions regarding the media and digital audiences. We intend to achieve an academic consensus on the role of communication by public institutions in crisis management, the contribution of journalism in verifying what is false, and the responsibility of citizens in rebuilding social cohesion outside and within social networks.

We seek to receive innovative approaches and papers that employ a wide range of methodologies (i.e., quantitative and qualitative methods). Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

Crisis of democracy;
Electoral contests and the future of democracy;
Public communication and crisis management;
Impact of social networks on social cohesion;
Quality journalism, fact-checking and media literacy;
Disinformation and rhetoric of populism on social networks;
Reception studies; audience perception of crisis management;
Crisis of the international relations in a post-pandemic world;
Territories and borders; social unity or fragmentation;
The role of citizens in the digital public sphere;
Geopolitics of health in a post-pandemic world;
Geopolitics and climate change;
Geopolitics and social dialogue in the EU and the US;
Multilateral relations between organizations and countries;
Opinion polls and public opinion.

Prof. Dr. Concha Pérez Curiel
Prof. Dr. Rubén Rivas-de-Roca
Guest Editors

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Keywords

geopolitics
social cohesion
public communication
social networks
international relations
disinformation
populism
transparency
journalistic quality
media literacy

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Published Papers (12 papers)

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Editorial

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6 pages, 242 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Social Cohesion in Times of Crisis: The Role of Communication for Democracies—Editors’ Introduction

by Concha Pérez-Curiel and Rubén Rivas-de-Roca

Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(9), 491; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12090491 - 1 Sep 2023

Viewed by 2215

Abstract

Global crises are becoming a feature of our society [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolitics, Public Communication and Social Cohesion Facing the Crisis of Democracy: Risks and Challenges)

Research

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22 pages, 9264 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Digital Pseudo-Identification in the Post-Truth Era: Exploring Logical Fallacies in the Mainstream Media Coverage of the COVID-19 Vaccines

by Ekaterina Veselinovna Teneva

Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(8), 457; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12080457 - 16 Aug 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3704

Abstract

Because of China’s new wave of COVID-19 in May 2023, the issue of tackling COVID-19 misinformation remains relevant. Based on Lippmann’s theory of public opinion and agenda setting theory, this article aims to examine the concept of digital pseudo-identification as a type of logical fallacy that refers to supporting journalists’ opinions with ‘false’ arguments that lack factual evidence. To do so, the study applied computer-aided content analysis, as well as rhetorical and critical discourse analyses, to examine 400 articles related to four COVID-19 vaccines (‘Oxford-AstraZeneca’, ‘Pfizer-BioNTech’, ‘Sputnik V’ and ‘Sinovac’) published on the online versions of two major British and American mainstream media sources between August 2020 and December 2021. The results of the study show that journalists of the ‘The New York Times’ and ‘The Guardian’ used similar logical fallacies, including the opinions of pseudo-authorities and references to pseudo-statistics and stereotypes, which contributed to creating distorted representations of the COVID-19 vaccines and propagating online misinformation. The study also reveals political bias in both of the mainstream media sources, with relatively more positive coverage of the European vaccines than non-European vaccines. The findings have important implications for journalism and open up perspectives for further research on the concept of digital pseudo-identification in the humanities and social sciences. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolitics, Public Communication and Social Cohesion Facing the Crisis of Democracy: Risks and Challenges)

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16 pages, 512 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Red Cross Presence and Prominence in Spanish Headlines during the First 100 Days of War in Ukraine

by María Pallarés-Renau, Susana Miquel-Segarra and Lorena López-Font

Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(7), 368; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12070368 - 25 Jun 2023

Viewed by 1159

Abstract

This research seeks to find out to what extent the Spanish press reflects the role played by the Red Cross during the first 100 days of the war in Ukraine. It aims to identify the main characteristics of the information in which the organization has taken a leading role in the press. The theoretical framework includes a literature review on the strategic relationship between the press and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for the benefit of their reputation, as well as the role of the Red Cross in armed conflicts, and the link between the third sector and geopolitics. In order to examine how different media treated the Red Cross as the protagonist of the news, articles published in the written press that included “Red Cross” as keywords in the headline were selected through the Onclusive platform (formerly Kantar Media). The period of analysis covered the first 100 days of war in Ukraine, from 24 February to 3 June 2022. The methodology used was developed in two phases: the first based on content analysis, and the second focused on the description and interpretation of the informative development of the sample. The results reveal that the role of the Red Cross in the conflict is not the focus of media attention and that its name has become a lure for political communication, for social events or for the publicity of the more traditional corporate social responsibility (CSR) of companies. We can say that the relationship between the Red Cross and the written press has not contributed to explaining or clearly expressing the institution’s task or mission in a war. This is why it can be deduced that the articles analyzed do not improve the brand value and its positioning among readers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolitics, Public Communication and Social Cohesion Facing the Crisis of Democracy: Risks and Challenges)

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19 pages, 1235 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Disinformation and Sexual and Gender Diversity in Spain: Twitter Users’ Response, and the Perception of LGBTQI+ Organisations

by Adolfo Carratalá

Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(4), 206; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12040206 - 31 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2610

Abstract

Increased disinformation has been able to flourish in the digital environment. Much of the fake news that circulate social networks is directed against vulnerable groups, such as the LGBTQI+ community. These contents often include hate speech, which has recently experienced a notable increase in Spain. Based on a quantitative and qualitative methodology, the purpose of this research study was, first, to explore the social audience’s reaction to four pieces of pseudo-information against LGBTQI+ people posted on Twitter by Mediterráneo Digital between 2018 and 2020, to determine the extent to which this content was considered true or rejected by users of this social network through their comments (N = 596). The four selected publications were considered fake news by recognised verification platforms. Secondly, in addition to the above analysis, six in-depth interviews were carried out with representatives of Spanish LGBTQI+ organisations to explore their perception of this situation and how they addressed disinformation. The results indicated that a high percentage of the responses posted on Twitter consider disinformation against this social group to be true, although a significant proportion of comments also intervened in the conversation to reject these messages. Activists believed pseudo-media (websites that try to imitate conventional news sites but do not respect the diligence and principles of journalism), and social networks are largely responsible for the increase in disinformation, and considered the production of truthful information, educational actions, and collaboration with other groups to be successful strategies in combating disinformation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolitics, Public Communication and Social Cohesion Facing the Crisis of Democracy: Risks and Challenges)

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16 pages, 687 KiB

Open AccessArticle

“Platformization of News”, Authorship, and Unverified Content: Perceptions around Local Media

by Ricardo Morais and Pedro Jerónimo

Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(4), 200; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12040200 - 28 Mar 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2231

Abstract

In recent years, the growing importance of platforms for producing, sharing, and consuming news has been evident. However, several challenges associated with this growth have emerged, such as those linked with disinformation and news authorship. In this article, which uses part of the data from a more extensive study of local media in the central region of Portugal, we present the results from three focus groups with editors, journalists, and local media consumers. Through this information, we try to understand their perceptions about how platforms change news work and distribution, affecting journalists and the public. The focus groups results showed that although local media professionals consider it essential to be present on distribution platforms, they are concerned about the inability of audiences to distinguish the content created by local media from others that circulate online. We believe the results presented are significant to reflect on changes made by platforms to journalism and to think in terms of new strategies of media literacy concerning how and what ways platforms are involved in news distribution infrastructures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolitics, Public Communication and Social Cohesion Facing the Crisis of Democracy: Risks and Challenges)

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15 pages, 1893 KiB

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Hate and Incivilities in Hashtags against Women Candidates in Chile (2021–2022)

by Jarnishs Beltrán, Paula Walker and René Jara

Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(3), 180; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12030180 - 16 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1692

Abstract

This study is interested in the phenomenon of violence in social networks against women who hold political office in the framework of the Chilean constitutional process (2021–2022). To study this major socio-political phenomenon, we have used the tracking database “Women and Politics”, composed of 2,912,732 Twitter posts mentioning women candidates and collected between July 2021 and September 2022. Based on this data, we analyzed the network of hashtags by electoral list at points in time: all 2021 messages, all 2022 messages and only hate messages published in 2022 (n = 563,223), codified by an automated detection method. The results of the study reveal that hashtags extracted from messages containing hate speech are better understood under the concept of incivilities. These were expressed in a two-phase electoral process: the presidential election and the constitutional plebiscite. The implications and limits of this study are discussed and considered in context in the conclusion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolitics, Public Communication and Social Cohesion Facing the Crisis of Democracy: Risks and Challenges)

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13 pages, 2247 KiB

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Relationship between the Use of Social Networks and Mistrust of Mass Media among Mexican Youth: A Mixed-Methods and NLP Study

by Daniel Javier de la Garza Montemayor and Xunaxhi Monserrat Pineda Rasgado

Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(3), 179; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12030179 - 15 Mar 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2137

Abstract

The relationship between trust and media consumption has been a subject continually studied in communication sciences. There are various studies that indicate that the greater the confidence in a certain medium, the greater the consumption. However, due to the consolidation of digital media and specifically social networks as the main sources of information among the young, the question of whether trust in these media affects their consumption arises again. To examine this relationship, a study was carried out with a mixed methodology. On the one hand, a survey was carried out in which young Mexican university students were asked about the media that they trusted the most and those that they used the most. On the other hand, interviews were conducted with university professors regarding their observations of the behavior of students in relation to usage and trust in these media. In general, the results allow us to conclude that trust in the media is not a variable that impacts the consultation of a specific media outlet given that, despite mistrust, there may be a high rate of usage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolitics, Public Communication and Social Cohesion Facing the Crisis of Democracy: Risks and Challenges)

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14 pages, 790 KiB

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The Negative Campaign on Telegram: The Political Use of Criticism during the 2021 Community of Madrid Elections

by Alejandra Tirado-García

Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(2), 93; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12020093 - 11 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2455

Abstract

Mobile instant messaging services have become a standard tool for political actors in communicating with citizens, especially during electoral campaigns. Telegram predominates in this context of disintermediated communication with the electorate. This platform enables parties to issue electoral information while taking advantage of this private space to criticize their adversaries. They do it with messages linked to negative emotions that generate a deeper impact on the audience, although they imply risks such as political polarization. This research analyzes the use of criticism to the adversary by political parties on Telegram during the electoral campaign. For this purpose, a descriptive study with an exploratory purpose was chosen, and a quantitative content analysis was carried out on 710 messages published on Telegram by the main political parties that stood for the elections to the Community of Madrid held in 2021. These parties are the PP, Ciudadanos, Podemos, Más Madrid, and Vox. The PSOE has been excluded as they did not make any publication during the analyzed period. The results show that criticizing the adversary is an emerging communication strategy in political parties on Telegram. Unlike other social media such as Facebook, the attacks on rivals are used on this platform mainly by the parties in the government, who focus their criticism on the president of the Spanish state. The attacks are mainly directed at the professional trajectory of their rivals and question the credibility of any action carried out by them. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolitics, Public Communication and Social Cohesion Facing the Crisis of Democracy: Risks and Challenges)

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17 pages, 1309 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Political Debate over the COVID-19 Vaccination on Twitter: Emotions and Polarization in the Spanish Public Sphere

by Concha Pérez-Curiel, Ricardo Domínguez-García and Ana Velasco-Molpeceres

Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(2), 85; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12020085 - 8 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2695

Abstract

In a scenario marked by COVID-19, communication has posed a real challenge for institutions. Since the first case of COVID-19, Spain has faced the enormous challenge of an unprecedented health, economic, and social crisis. The public sphere has put its trust in vaccination as the only chance for the country’s recovery. To determine the role played by political leaders in the debate on vaccination and citizens’ perception of crisis management, this article analyzes the messages posted on Twitter by the four leaders of the parties with the most representation in parliament: Pedro Sánchez (PSOE), Pablo Casado (PP), Santiago Abascal (Vox), and Yolanda Díaz (Podemos). Using a methodology for comparative content analysis on Twitter, a sample was established that began at the start of the vaccination process and inoculation with the first dose, and covered the entire year that followed. The research results, which contrasted with those collected in demographic surveys, reflected an increase in polarization and electoral use of the vaccine, which took precedence over the awareness-raising discourse typical of public campaigns. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolitics, Public Communication and Social Cohesion Facing the Crisis of Democracy: Risks and Challenges)

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15 pages, 2605 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Framing Food Transition: The Debate on Meat Production and Climate Change in Three European Countries

by Dolors Palau-Sampio, Rubén Rivas-de-Roca and Emilio Fernández-Peña

Soc. Sci. 2022, 11(12), 567; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11120567 - 2 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2714

Abstract

The link between meat production and climate change has fostered increasing social debate in recent years. Livestock is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, among other global problems attached to the meat industry. However, this debate is often presented as one-dimensional, without a comprehensive approach. As the media plays a key role in shaping public perceptions of nutrition, this study aims to examine how the matter of food transition and climate change is addressed by three centre-left media outlets from Germany (Der Tagesspiegel), the United Kingdom (The Guardian) and Spain (El País). A search including the words *meat* and *climate change* in different languages, performed over one year (2021), resulted in a sample of available news items (N = 273). Using quantitative and qualitative methods, we analysed the coverage in terms of scope and use of frames. The results showed a scant number of news items combining climate change and meat consumption, though there were some differences indicating a greater awareness in the United Kingdom. Most of the news items from the three countries applied frames based on solutions from an environmental perspective. Media attention was discontinuous and sometimes determined by political debates, which made it difficult to reflect upon the underlying issues. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolitics, Public Communication and Social Cohesion Facing the Crisis of Democracy: Risks and Challenges)

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20 pages, 1007 KiB

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The Emotional Dimension of the Spanish Far Right and Its Effects on Satisfaction with Democracy

by Erika Jaráiz Gulías, Paloma Castro Martínez and Gabriel Colomé García

Soc. Sci. 2022, 11(10), 475; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11100475 - 13 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2338

Abstract

The recent rise of the far right in Spain highlights the importance of analysing the elements that have contributed to VOX’s success and the party’s ascent to the third political power in the country after the general election held in November 2019. In order to explain the electoral support for VOX, in this study we adopt an emotional perspective, giving emotions a fundamental role alongside the traditional variables involved in the far-right vote. After describing the emotional regime of VOX voters, we observe the relationship between these voters’ emotions towards political actors and the levels of satisfaction with democracy. Subsequently, we try to identify the determining elements of the vote for VOX through a multivariate analysis. Finally, after stating that hope in Santiago Abascal is one of the main variables that explain voters’ support for VOX, we analyse its constituent elements. Our findings reveal that hope for VOX’s leader is not made up of structural elements but cultural elements, citizens’ ratings of political leaders and ideological and identity questions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolitics, Public Communication and Social Cohesion Facing the Crisis of Democracy: Risks and Challenges)

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16 pages, 346 KiB

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Perceptions of Trust in the Context of Social Cohesion in Selected Rural Communities of South Africa

by Fundiswa T. Khaile, Nicolette V. Roman, Kezia R. October, Maria Van Staden and Tolulope V. Balogun

Soc. Sci. 2022, 11(8), 359; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11080359 - 11 Aug 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4210

Abstract

Although nuances around the definitions and contextualization of social cohesion subsist, this paper views social cohesion through the lens of social cooperation and togetherness within a collective in geopolitical terms, expressed in the attitudes and behaviours of its members. In many countries, including South Africa, social cohesion remains an ideal to strive for and achieve. Extant studies suggest that trust is one of the key factors in building social cohesion. As such, this paper aims to explore trust in the context of social cohesion. This study attempts to address the knowledge gaps regarding the views, feelings, and experiences around trust and also make a contribution to the qualitative inquiry of trust in the context of social cohesion in rural communities of South Africa. Accordingly, the perceptions and experiences of people in two rural communities (Lambert’s Bay and Philippolis) regarding trust in the context of social cohesion were explored. A qualitative methodology was employed in order to gain a deeper understanding of the perceptions of trust. A total of 19 participants were interviewed, comprising of community stakeholders and parents. A semi-structured interview schedule was used to collect data in face-to-face interviews with participants. Data collected were analysed using Braun and Clark’s thematic analysis. The study found that trust among community members in both Lambert’s Bay and Philippolis was limited. In instances where there was trust, it was mainly amongst participants who know each other compared to individuals who do not know each other. Thus, in both communities, generalised trust continues to be a challenge. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geopolitics, Public Communication and Social Cohesion Facing the Crisis of Democracy: Risks and Challenges)

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