🗞️ Happy to finally share this special review, out in @journal-of-comm.bsky.social. Special thanks to @vstetka.bsky.social @sabinamihelj.bsky.social @newsprof1.bsky.social @martinscott2010.bsky.social @melbunce.bsky.social, and thanks for inviting me @jeffpoole.bsky.social @sonnevend.bsky.social! 👉👉

Media capture, academia capture? Rising authoritarianism and public knowledge capture

Recent political and media trends challenge various disciplinary axioms and popular scholarly intuitions. For instance, is media good or bad for democracy?

academic.oup.com

A golden hour of spring #sunset shining across the #bluebells in and around the Outwoods in #Loughborough with @sabinamihelj.bsky.social 🌿🪻🌿

After a grey start, the end of a very still, chilly, Saturday walk with @sabinamihelj.bsky.social around Bradgate Park and ending with #sunset across Cropston Reservoir #Loughborough ❄️

Kicking off #IJPP25 with welcoming words by our Editor in Chief @taberez.bsky.social, followed by an excellent keynote by @sabinamihelj.bsky.social on how the rise of illiberal public spheres forces us to reconsider normative assumptions in #polcomm. Focusing on publics, media trust, & disinfo.

Curd Knüpfer@curdknupfer.bsky.social · 9mo ago

In Singapore (1st time) for the annual conference of the International Journal of Press/Politics #IJPP. Only had about 90 minutes of free time to explore & snap some pre-golden hour pics at the tourist hotspots in China Town.📸 Have another half day off on Sat. LMK if you have any must-sees/eats...

Scenes from a wild, wet, windy, wonderful Welsh weekend with @sabinamihelj.bsky.social

As democracy crumbles and authoritarianism gains ground around the world, digital media are increasingly being blamed for driving these developments. However, as I and @vstetka.bsky.social argue in a recent piece for Le Monde, the role of digital media in these developments is often exaggerated.

Congratulations to @sabinamihelj.bsky.social and @vstetka.bsky.social for winning this prestigious award!

APSA & ICA Political Communication Divisions@polcomm.bsky.social · last yr.

🎉 Excited to share the APSA Technology & Politics Section Award winners! 🏆 📚 Best Book The Illiberal Public Sphere: Media in Polarized Societies by @sabinamihelj.bsky.social & @vstetka.bsky.social. You can access it, it is in open access! link.springer.com/book/10.1007... 🧵

🚨New article written by Vera Tolz, @stevhutch.bsky.social, @vitalykaz.bsky.social, and Sofia Tipaldou, published in @icahdq.bsky.social - "Disinformation as Process: Modelling the Lifecycle of Disinformation". @uomsalc.bsky.social @sabinamihelj.bsky.social @neilsadler.bsky.social

🎉 Excited to share the APSA Technology & Politics Section Award winners! 🏆 📚 Best Book The Illiberal Public Sphere: Media in Polarized Societies by @sabinamihelj.bsky.social & @vstetka.bsky.social. You can access it, it is in open access! link.springer.com/book/10.1007... 🧵

The Illiberal Public Sphere

This book uncovers the media's role in global illiberalism through cutting-edge analysis of recent developments in Eastern Europe.

link.springer.com

Truly honoured by this award for our book with @sabinamihelj.bsky.social🙏 Many thanks to APSA @apsaitp.bsky.social, as well as to almost 20k people who have accessed the book online so far! #illiberalism

APSA & ICA Political Communication Divisions@polcomm.bsky.social · last yr.

🎉 Excited to share the APSA Technology & Politics Section Award winners! 🏆 📚 Best Book The Illiberal Public Sphere: Media in Polarized Societies by @sabinamihelj.bsky.social & @vstetka.bsky.social. You can access it, it is in open access! link.springer.com/book/10.1007... 🧵

If you missed yesterday's presentation by @vstetka.bsky.social and @sabinamihelj.bsky.social on their new book, The Illiberal Public Sphere, the full recording is now available on our YouTube! youtu.be/ySHWGIbuB9U

The Illiberal Public Sphere: Media in Polarized Societies

YouTube video by Illiberalism Studies Program

youtu.be

It was a real pleasure to talk about our book with @sabinamihelj.bsky.social to such an engaged audience. Many thanks to Marlene Laruelle and @jchrobie.bsky.social for having us!

Illiberalism Studies Program@illsp.bsky.social · last yr.

If you missed yesterday's presentation by @vstetka.bsky.social and @sabinamihelj.bsky.social on their new book, The Illiberal Public Sphere, the full recording is now available on our YouTube! youtu.be/ySHWGIbuB9U

Strategic narratives between global influence and local appropriation: China’s COVID-19 vaccine diplomacy in Serbia New study by Ana Stojiljković & @sabinamihelj.bsky.social here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1...

We're looking forward to this online event next week! The Illiberal Public Sphere: Media in Polarized Societies with @vstetka.bsky.social & @sabinamihelj.bsky.social 🗓️ April 2, 2025 🕑 12:00-13:00 EDT 📍Online (Zoom) Register here to join: tinyurl.com/5n6f82rd

Illiberalism Studies Program@illsp.bsky.social · last yr.

Join us for an online presentation of a new book by @vstetka.bsky.social and @sabinamihelj.bsky.social: The Illiberal Public Sphere Media in Polarized Societies! Hear about increasing #illiberalism, #polarization, and declining trust in mass media in CEE Register here: tinyurl.com/5n6f82rd

An amazing @mgsesrcdtp.bsky.social Collaborative PhD @lborouniversity.bsky.social: "Digital Gaming/Gambling Harms and Students: Financial Literacy and the Transition to Adulthood". Sadly due to funding, now only available to Home fee status applicants. Deadline 23/04 @ 11am: tinyurl.com/mr4582zh

PhD Studentship: Digital Gaming/Gambling Harms and Students: Financial Literacy and the Transition to Adulthood at Midlands Graduate School Doctoral Training Partnership

Discover a PhD Studentship: Digital Gaming/Gambling Harms and Students: Financial Literacy and the Transition to Adulthood on jobs.ac.uk. Apply now and explore other PhD opportunities.

jobs.ac.uk

Join us for an online presentation of a new book by @vstetka.bsky.social and @sabinamihelj.bsky.social: The Illiberal Public Sphere Media in Polarized Societies! Hear about increasing #illiberalism, #polarization, and declining trust in mass media in CEE Register here: tinyurl.com/5n6f82rd

We thought the skies were too hazy for a good #sunset but the colours were wonderful just after the sun disappeared - @sabinamihelj.bsky.social and I watched with a cuppa at Beacon Hill #Loughborough

🎉 Delighted to learn I have been awarded funding for comparative, mixed-methods research on Russian #disinformation in Poland, Romania & Serbia, with Fanni Toth @durhamuniversity.bsky.social as Co-I, & in collaboration with @m-deceit.bsky.social @sabinamihelj.bsky.social @stevehutchings.bsky.social

Deadline approaching soon for this unique PhD studentship, supervised by @sabinamihelj.bsky.social and myself, in collaboration with @bbcmediaaction.bsky.social - if you are interested in researching disinformation in the #Baltics, #Afghanistan or #Libya, do apply by 24 February!

Sabina Mihelj@sabinamihelj.bsky.social · 2y ago

📣 We have a fully funded #PhD place available at the Communication & Media Department @lborocrcc.bsky.social at Loughborough University, in collaboration with BBC Media Action and supported by the Midlands Graduate School ESRC DTP.

Back in #Leicestershire for a chilly but beautiful hazy #sunset at the Beacon with @sabinamihelj.bsky.social ❄️

"Wonderfully structured and accessible, it appeals not only to scholars but also to the broader democratic public grappling with the question: 'What on earth is happening to democracy?'” Delighted to read such a nice review of our book! @sabinamihelj.bsky.social journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Three stages of a liberal public sphere being replaced by an #illiberal one. Very useful framework from @vstetka.bsky.social & @sabinamihelj.bsky.social - all we see happening in the US fits. Q = how to win the struggle against it? Needs creativity and will: www.ssoar.info/ssoar/bitstr...

Still 3 week to apply for this unique PhD studentship at our Communication & Media Department @lborocrcc.bsky.social, in collaboration with #BBC @bbcmediaaction.bsky.social - if you are interested in researching disinformation in the #Baltics, #Afghanistan or #Libya, we would love to hear from you!

Sabina Mihelj@sabinamihelj.bsky.social · 2y ago

📣 We have a fully funded #PhD place available at the Communication & Media Department @lborocrcc.bsky.social at Loughborough University, in collaboration with BBC Media Action and supported by the Midlands Graduate School ESRC DTP.

Great opportunity for PhD candidates interesting in studying Russian disinformation in the Baltics, Afghanistan or Libya.

Sabina Mihelj@sabinamihelj.bsky.social · 2y ago

📣 We have a fully funded #PhD place available at the Communication & Media Department @lborocrcc.bsky.social at Loughborough University, in collaboration with BBC Media Action and supported by the Midlands Graduate School ESRC DTP.

Excited to advertise a new (post-)doctoral position in my team at Uni Passau in a new @bidt.bsky.social-funded project on "Authoritarian AI: How LLMs Align with Russia's Propaganda". Looking forward to all types of applications! shorturl.at/vc43x

Out now in Nature Human Behaviour: Our 68-country #survey on public attitudes to #science 📣 It shows: People still #trust scientists and support an active role of scientists in society and policy-making. #OpenAccess available here: www.nature.com/articles/s41... @natureportfolio.bsky.social (1/13)

Delighted to hear that our panel proposal with @sabinamihelj.bsky.social on "Communicating illiberalism: new approaches to the role of media in the erosion of liberal democracy" was accepted for the @icajsd.bsky.social conference in Denver! 🏔 @newsprof1.bsky.social @weizenbauminstitut.bsky.social

📣 We have a fully funded #PhD place available at the Communication & Media Department @lborocrcc.bsky.social at Loughborough University, in collaboration with BBC Media Action and supported by the Midlands Graduate School ESRC DTP.

Great to see this issue of the Political Communication Report out, with a contribution by myself and @sabinamihelj.bsky.social on the #illberal challenges to political communication - thanks a lot to @curdknupfer.bsky.social for bringing it all together! politicalcommunication.org/article/stet...

APSA & ICA Political Communication Divisions@polcomm.bsky.social · 2y ago

@vstetka.bsky.social & @sabinamihelj.bsky.social analyze contemporary illiberal politics, arguing that normative frameworks in PolComm struggle to address democratic disruptions, while drawing on Central & Eastern European media systems. politicalcommunication.org/article/stet...

A timely collection of essays exploring the normative dimensions of political communication - very pleased to have my contribution with @vstetka.bsky.social included. Thanks to @curdknupfer.bsky.social for a stellar editorial job!

APSA & ICA Political Communication Divisions@polcomm.bsky.social · 2y ago

✨Out now: The Fall Issue (Nr. 30) of the Political Communication Report!✨ “What does PolComm Stand for? Normative Dimensions of Political Communication Research & Theorizing” 📖 Full issue: politicalcommunication.org/issue/fall-2... A 🧵 on the essays featured in this issue: