Journal of Visual Political Communication (Journal)

ISSN 26333732 , ONLINE ISSN 26333740

The Journal of Visual Political Communication (formerly known as The Poster) is devoted to the exploration of political forms of persuasive visual communication. This peer-reviewed journal offers a space for studies that explore the aesthetics and design, persuasive content and intended and empirical impacts of visuals within the context of political communication. We invite papers that offer contributions to visual political communication theory and broaden understanding of how visuals are used by a range of political actors and citizens within political contexts, or a combination of approaches that explore both theory and practice. The journal seeks to provide significant insights into the role of visuals within the political communication environment across the world.

Formerly published as The Poster (ISSN 20403704, Online ISSN 20403712)



Co-Editors

Orla Vigsø
University of Gothenburg, Sweden
orla.vigso@jmg.gu.se

Bengt Johansson
University of Gothenburg, Sweden
bengt.johansson@jmg.gu.se

Darren Lilleker
Bournemouth University, UK
dlilleker@bournemouth.ac.uk

Anastasia Veneti
Bournemouth University, UK
aveneti@bournemouth.ac.uk

Associate Editor

Helena Barbosa
University of Aveiro, Portugal
helenab@ua.pt

Book Reviews Editor

Angelos Kissas
London School of Economics & Political Science, UK
a.kissas@lse.ac.uk

Social Media Editor

Dechun Zhang
Leiden University, the Netherlands
d.zhang@hum.leidenuniv.nl

Founding Editor

Simon Downs
Loughborough University

Aims & Scope

The powerful have always used the creative industries to frame the world in ways that suit their aims: political communication is aimed at influencing the way we think about and act in relation to questions regarding society. It can address our appreciation of the past, our assessment of the present, or how we ought to change the future, and it is done by all kinds of actors, from individual citizens to organizations and governments. But no matter who does it and what its goal is, a main component is the visual. From sculptures and paintings, murals and posters, via film and television to today's plethora of digital images, moving as well as still, visual means are central to most forms of persuasion. 

The Journal of Visual Political Communication (formerly known as The Poster) is devoted to the exploration of political forms of persuasive visual communication. How can we understand the use of images in today's political communication, and in particular the changes that have been taking place with the rapid growth of channels of distribution? In order to fully grasp the significance of imagery in political communication, we believe that it is imperative to maintain a historical and cultural perspective, and to combine a variety of methodologies. We encourage interdisciplinary approaches to visual political communication, including qualitative, quantitative and experimental studies, exploring the aesthetic expressions, the political content and the intended and empirical effect on the public. We are looking for research contributions of a theoretical nature or from a practice-based perspective, and from novel combinations of the two. The journal seeks to provide significant insights into the role of visuals within the political communication environment across the world.

Join us.

Submissions

To submit an article, please follow the 'Submit' button on the left of this page.
 
All articles submitted should be original work and must not be under consideration by other publications.
 
Journal contributors will receive a free PDF copy of their final work upon publication. Print copies of the journal may also be purchased by contributors at half price.
 
Download the Notes for Contributors below for information on format and style of submissions. If you need this document in a more accessible format, please contact info@intellectbooks.com. Find more information on Intellect's Accessibility page.

Peer Review Policy

All articles undergo initial editorial screening either by the journal's Editorial Team and/or incumbent Guest Editors. Articles then undergo a rigorous anonymous peer review by two referees, following the guidance in Intellect's 'Peer review instructions'. Based on this feedback, the Editors will communicate a decision and revision suggestions to authors. To appeal an editorial decision, please contact the main Editor who will consider your case.

Ethical Guidelines

The journal follows the principles set out by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Read our Ethical Guidelines for more on the journal's standards.


Notes for Contributors Download

Co-Editors

Orla Vigsø
University of Gothenburg, Sweden
orla.vigso@jmg.gu.se

Bengt Johansson
University of Gothenburg, Sweden
bengt.johansson@jmg.gu.se

Darren Lilleker
Bournemouth University, UK
dlilleker@bournemouth.ac.uk

Anastasia Veneti
Bournemouth University, UK
aveneti@bournemouth.ac.uk

Associate Editor

Helena Barbosa
University of Aveiro, Portugal
helenab@ua.pt

Book Reviews Editor

Angelos Kissas
London School of Economics & Political Science, UK
a.kissas@lse.ac.uk

Social Media Editor

Dechun Zhang
Leiden University, the Netherlands
d.zhang@hum.leidenuniv.nl

Founding Editor

Simon Downs
Loughborough University

Co-Editors

Orla Vigsø
University of Gothenburg, Sweden
orla.vigso@jmg.gu.se

Bengt Johansson
University of Gothenburg, Sweden
bengt.johansson@jmg.gu.se

Darren Lilleker
Bournemouth University, UK
dlilleker@bournemouth.ac.uk

Anastasia Veneti
Bournemouth University, UK
aveneti@bournemouth.ac.uk

Associate Editor

Helena Barbosa
University of Aveiro, Portugal
helenab@ua.pt

Book Reviews Editor

Angelos Kissas
London School of Economics & Political Science, UK
a.kissas@lse.ac.uk

Social Media Editor

Dechun Zhang
Leiden University, the Netherlands
d.zhang@hum.leidenuniv.nl

Founding Editor

Simon Downs
Loughborough University

Co-Editors

Orla Vigsø
University of Gothenburg, Sweden
orla.vigso@jmg.gu.se

Bengt Johansson
University of Gothenburg, Sweden
bengt.johansson@jmg.gu.se

Darren Lilleker
Bournemouth University, UK
dlilleker@bournemouth.ac.uk

Anastasia Veneti
Bournemouth University, UK
aveneti@bournemouth.ac.uk

Associate Editor

Helena Barbosa
University of Aveiro, Portugal
helenab@ua.pt

Book Reviews Editor

Angelos Kissas
London School of Economics & Political Science, UK
a.kissas@lse.ac.uk

Social Media Editor

Dechun Zhang
Leiden University, the Netherlands
d.zhang@hum.leidenuniv.nl

Founding Editor

Simon Downs
Loughborough University


General Call for Papers information

All articles submitted should be original work and must not be under consideration by other publications.

Journal of Visual Political Communication (formerly known as The Poster) is a forum for the study of visual rhetoric in the public sphere; a place to discuss why and how visual messages are thrust into the world and the media forms used to do so. The journal stands as a vehicle for the ideas of media theorists; for scholars of cultural studies and cultural materialism; for social psychologists of visual communication; for architects and designers of way-finding schemes; for philosophers of aesthetics and politics, society and linguistics; for social scientists, anthropologists and ethnographers; for political campaigners and artist activists; for communications researchers and visual communications practitioners.

We are looking for research contributions of a theoretical nature, from a practice-based perspective and from novel combinations of the two. We are also looking for visual contributions whose primary function is not research, but which illuminate the operation of the poster in the world.


Areas of interest for studies of visual-political communication include (but are not limited to):

  • Is there a social disconnect with the normative narratives that mass communication depends on, rendering propaganda speechless?
  • Is the rise of the Digital Public Sphere killing consensus politics, or saving us from a weight of overbearing myth?
  • Does the disruption of large-scale monocultures by online communities mark an end for twentieth-century models of mass propaganda?
  • Are the subalterns taking control?
  • What happens to informed democratic systems when the rulers and the ruled fundamentally inhabit different worlds, shaped by different ideas?
  • Universal translators: Are there communication methods that can speak across the divides?
  • Can we 'mass customize' political communication to speak the same truth, in different tongues, to all audiences at once?

The relationship between culture and technology has shaped political communication since the time of the Sacra Congregatio de Propaganda Fide, and now emergent communications tools have widened the grasp and increased the reach of a political message. The rise of the Net has given individuals and small groups the same grasp and reach as the largest power-block, and the possibilities for technically mediated political communication keep expanding.More than timely, it has become imperative for researchers to examine the complex interplay between the means and methods of political communication and the possibility of a normative consensus in the political world.

Multimodality is a key element to understanding the use of images in combination with other forms of mediated communication. We therefore encourage scholars from both social and political science, as well as cultural studies, arts, and communication studies, to submit proposals for work for publication. The journal is looking for:

  • Full papers of 7,000–9,000 words, plus illustrations on the issue's theme (for double-blind peer review). Rich illustration of the text is welcomed. Theoretical papers as well as methodological discussion are welcomed, but preferably in combination with empirical analysis of imagery. Case studies, comparisons across culture, or historical studies are invited.
  • Artist/designer monographs: Extended scholarly pieces addressing the issue's theme (for double blind peer review). 10,000–25,000 words, plus extensive illustrations.
  • Image and photo essays composed of illustrations, photographs, diagrams or schematics that use visual languages to communicate their stance on this edition's themes. Textual support may be added, if necessary.
  • Reviews of relevant books, exhibitions and political gatherings (the editors would be more than happy to publish a good review of the US Republican or Democratic party conferences, a Congressional investigation or a demonstration).

Co-Editors

Orla Vigsø
University of Gothenburg, Sweden
orla.vigso@jmg.gu.se

Bengt Johansson
University of Gothenburg, Sweden
bengt.johansson@jmg.gu.se

Darren Lilleker
Bournemouth University, UK
dlilleker@bournemouth.ac.uk

Anastasia Veneti
Bournemouth University, UK
aveneti@bournemouth.ac.uk

Associate Editor

Helena Barbosa
University of Aveiro, Portugal
helenab@ua.pt

Book Reviews Editor

Angelos Kissas
London School of Economics & Political Science, UK
a.kissas@lse.ac.uk

Social Media Editor

Dechun Zhang
Leiden University, the Netherlands
d.zhang@hum.leidenuniv.nl

Founding Editor

Simon Downs
Loughborough University

Editorial & Advisory Board

Giorgia Aiello
University of Bologna, Italy and University of Leeds, UK

Roland Bleiker
University of Queensland, Australia

Eric Bucy
Texas Tech University, USA

Lilie Chouliaraki
London School of Economics & Political Science, UK

Philippe De Vries
University of Antwerp, Belgium

Shahira S. Fahmy
The American University of Cairo, Egypt

Christina Holtz-Bacha
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Germany

Olu Jenzen
University of Brighton, UK

David Machin
Institute of Corpus Studies and Applications, Shanghai International University, China

Jenni Mäenpää
Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Finland

Franziska Marquart
University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Bruce Mutsvairo
University of Utrecht, the Netherlands

Katy Parry
University of Leeds

Paul Reilly
University of Glasgow, UK

Gabriel B. Tait
Ball State University, USA

Karel van der Waarde
Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Switzerland

Co-Editors

Orla Vigsø
University of Gothenburg, Sweden
orla.vigso@jmg.gu.se

Bengt Johansson
University of Gothenburg, Sweden
bengt.johansson@jmg.gu.se

Darren Lilleker
Bournemouth University, UK
dlilleker@bournemouth.ac.uk

Anastasia Veneti
Bournemouth University, UK
aveneti@bournemouth.ac.uk

Associate Editor

Helena Barbosa
University of Aveiro, Portugal
helenab@ua.pt

Book Reviews Editor

Angelos Kissas
London School of Economics & Political Science, UK
a.kissas@lse.ac.uk

Social Media Editor

Dechun Zhang
Leiden University, the Netherlands
d.zhang@hum.leidenuniv.nl

Founding Editor

Simon Downs
Loughborough University

 
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Contents

  • Volume (9): Issue (1)
  • Cover date: 2021


Contents

  • Volume (8): Issue (1)
  • Cover date: 2020


Contents

  • Volume (7): Issue (1)
  • Cover date: 2019


Contents

  • Volume (6): Issue (1)
  • Cover date: 2018


Contents

  • Volume (5): Issue (1)
  • Cover date: 2017


Contents

  • Volume (4): Issue (1&2)
  • Cover date:


Contents

  • Volume (3): Issue (1)
  • Cover date: 2015


Contents

  • Volume (2): Issue (1)
  • Cover date: 2011


Contents

  • Volume (2): Issue (2)
  • Cover date: 2011


Contents

  • Volume (1): Issue (1)
  • Cover date: 2010


Contents

  • Volume (1): Issue (2)
  • Cover date: 2010


Co-Editors

Orla Vigsø
University of Gothenburg, Sweden
orla.vigso@jmg.gu.se

Bengt Johansson
University of Gothenburg, Sweden
bengt.johansson@jmg.gu.se

Darren Lilleker
Bournemouth University, UK
dlilleker@bournemouth.ac.uk

Anastasia Veneti
Bournemouth University, UK
aveneti@bournemouth.ac.uk

Associate Editor

Helena Barbosa
University of Aveiro, Portugal
helenab@ua.pt

Book Reviews Editor

Angelos Kissas
London School of Economics & Political Science, UK
a.kissas@lse.ac.uk

Social Media Editor

Dechun Zhang
Leiden University, the Netherlands
d.zhang@hum.leidenuniv.nl

Founding Editor

Simon Downs
Loughborough University

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