Contemporary studies on political communication — the limits of cognitive horizons

Abstract

Principles governing contemporary metamorphosis of political communication influence its studies. Additionally, the main spheres of research interest in on political communication are determined in clear correspondence with these rules. Current studies in the area of political communication partly belong to political communication and to some extent are absorbed or infected by it. It results in confusion of views on media researcher’s obligations. In particular, voices emerge that he or she is obliged to deliver outcomes which can be easily mediatized or politicized (this is expected to ensure some alleged positive impact on transformation within the field of media and politics). In this context it is rather not surprising that contemporary research on political communication rarely starts from questioning which dimensions of human existence should/may be or should not/may not be mediatized or politicized. Moreover, representatives of studies on political communication not infrequently excessively ensure that they offer some kind of well-founded and reliable knowledge. However, the conclusions presented by them usually have to be asserted as nothing more than some functional idiosyncrasy.