In this episode Professor Stephen Coleman explores political satire. What’s funny about politics? Should it be funny? How is political humour being democratised in the age of the online meme? Helping to make sense of it all is Dr Ros Southern of the University of Liverpool.
Presenter: Stephen Coleman
Producer: Carl Hartley
In this episode we ask whether voters really want to be represented by politicians who sound ‘just like them’. To help explore this question, Stephen is joined by Professor Peter Allen from the University of Bath, author of the book, The Political Class: Why It Matters Who Our Politicians.
Presenter: Stephen Coleman
Producer: Carl Hartley
In this episode we consider how politicians tell stories about war and how journalists re-tell those stories. To help, Professor Stephen Coleman is joined by award-winning Sunday Times war correspondent, Louise Callaghan.
In this episode, Professor Stephen Coleman explores the role of personality in politics and asks does it help or hinder democracy? He's joined by the former BBC political journalist and current political strategist, Guto Harri.
Guto was at university with the former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He worked for him has his director of communication when Boris was the Mayor of London and in Downing Street when he was the Prime Minister, during the partygate scandal.
Presenter: Stephen Coleman
Producer: Carl Hartley
In this episode we consider how non-politicians, many of whom have important experiences and ideas to impart, make their voices heard in the political arena.
What is it that makes people feel unconfident about speaking in public? How can these fears be overcome? Why is it is important for every voice to count?
To discuss this, Professor Stephen Coleman is joined by Dr Sarah Weston, formerly of the University of Manchester and now at Queen’s University Belfast.
Presenter: Stephen Coleman
Producer: Carl Hartley
In this episode Professor Stephen Coleman looks at the rise of illiberalism in politics. He's joined by Professor Lance Bennett from the University of Washington, Seattle, to explore how transgressive communication is the leading edge of democratic erosion.
Presenter: Stephen Coleman
Producer: Carl Hartley
In the first episode of series 3, Stephen explores the art of interviewing politicians with his guest, Times Radio's Darryl Morris.
From MPs who storm out to the journalists who ask, ask and ask again. But are they getting it right? What should be the role of the political journalist?
Presenter: Stephen Coleman
Producer: Carl Hartley
In this episode Professor Stephen Coleman explores the language of MAGA (Make America Great Again) and talks about the rhetoric of the recent US election with Professor of Rhetoric, Casey Ryan Kelly.
Presenter: Stephen Coleman
Producer: Carl Hartley
In this episode, Professor Stephen Coleman explores how political talk has become so angry and uncivil. He's joined by Robert C. Rowland, Professor of Rhetoric at the University of Kansas.
Presenter: Stephen Coleman
Producer: Carl Hartley
In this episode, Professor Stephen Coleman looks at the claims politicians make, how they sometimes overclaim their achievements, and discusses whether this is always the best plan. He's joined by top legal scholar, Peter Shane.
Presenter: Stephen Coleman
Producer: Carl Hartley
In this episode Stephen is out of the studio and at home as we wanted to get the episode produced as soon as possible ... It's the second part of this episode Professor Stephen Coleman gives his reaction to the debate and explores whether it was good for democracy.
In this episode, Professor Stephen Coleman considers the coming US presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. He's joined by debates’ expert, Alan Schroeder.
Stephen shares four questions every viewer of the debate should consider while watching it on the 10th September.
There'll be reaction to the debate and additional material after it's aired.
Presenter: Stephen Coleman
Producer: Carl Hartley
In this episode Professor Stephen Coleman discusses the U.S. election campaign and asks the question how has it got to the point that a man tried to kill Donald Trump? He's joined by Professor Robert Asen from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an expert in Rhetoric, Politics, and Culture.
Presenter: Stephen Coleman
Producer: Carl Hartley
In this episode Professor Stephen Coleman looks at the speeches the leaders make before heading in to 10 Downing Street for day one as prime Minister.
Presenter: Stephen Coleman
Producer: Carl Hartley
In this short bonus episode, Professor Stephen Coleman looks at the way the Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage, communicates and asks what is his appeal?
Presenter: Stephen Coleman
Producer: Carl Hartley
In this short bonus episode, Professor Stephen Coleman looks at the communication styles of the Prime Minister and Conservative leader, Rishi Sunak, and leader of the Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer.
Presenter: Stephen Coleman
Producer: Carl Hartley
In this episode of The Sound of Politics, Professor Stephen Coleman explores the four voices of the 2024 election campaign and talks with Dororthy Byrne, former Head of News and Current Affairs at Channel 4.
** Please note there is the use of one explicit word during this episode.
Presenter: Stephen Coleman
Producer: Carl Hartley
In the first episode of series 2, Professor Stephen Coleman explores the TV election debates - and he talks to the former leader of the Liberal Democrats, Tim Farron, who took part in one in 2017.
Presenter: Stephen Coleman
Producer: Carl Hartley
In this episode Professor Stephen Coleman hears from people in the street talking about what they think of their political representatives. Why is it that most (but not all) people’s first response to the sound of politicians’ voices is negative? He's also joined by James Johnson, who worked for former Prime Minister Theresa May, and who is now a leading pollster in the UK and U.S.
*Please note this episode has the odd use of bad language.
Presenter: Stephen Coleman
Producer: Carl Hartley
In this episode we take a look at the role of politicians as storytellers. We listen to some moving examples of political narrative in action, asking what it is that makes some stories resonate while others just sound strategic.
And Stephen's joined by Alan Finlayson, Professor of Political and Social Theory.
Presenter: Stephen Coleman
Producer: Carl Hartley