AGERA
"AGEnda 2030 and the global goals for sustainable development as a framework for collaboration". The purpose is to develop collaboration capacity for the eight participating universities to...
Research
Our research is conducted in research groups focusing on four main areas: journalism, media development, organizations' communication and political communication.
In the area of Media Development, we analyze studies of media producers, content and media users in a new media landscape; how knowledge and information are produced, disseminated and used, and how these processes are affected by economic, technological, political and organizational environments. This also includes regular studies within the framework of Dagspresskollegiet – a research programme that started in 1979 and has conducted research focusing on the use of newspapers and its readers since then.
The research group CORE studies Organizations' Communication; how internal and external communications relate to the organizations' strategic goals, leadership and change; how globalization and communications technology affect communication and how the organizations deal with public opinion and crises related to their own activities.
In Political Communication and Political Journalism, we study communicative processes and relationships between politics, media and citizens focusing on how the digital society affects communication strategies, media content and media use in election campaigns and dramatic events. This involves studies of strategic political communication and political advocacy in DEMICOM's regular election campaign projects.
We have extensive experience in contract research for both private and public organizations, such as the Swedish Parliament and government, authorities, associations and companies. Our researchers are also often engaged for custom designed lectures and training sessions, in the media industry, politics and administration.
DEMICOM's research group leaders:
Catrin Johansson, Professor of Organizations' Communications, Mid Sweden University
Lars Nord, the Programme Leader and Professor of Political Communication, Mid Sweden University
Jonas Harvard, Docent of History, Mid Sweden University
Ongoing Research Projects
Collaboration and coordination of crisis communication during the corona crisis 2020 (SACK20)
The purpose of the study is to analyze the collaboration and coordination of Swedish authorities' crisis communication during the corona pandemic, and its impact on decision making.
Evaluation of special campaign funds in the election campaigns 2018-2019
The government has commissioned DEMICOM to evaluate the use of the special funds for the parties to information efforts ahead of the 2018 general elections and the 2019 European elections.
Hyperlocal media and their democratic significance
Not long ago, traditional media, also known as legacy media, were the only ones that produced journalism. This project takes a closer look at the so-called “hyperlocals”–independent media companies...
Political humor
The PhD project of Sara Ödmark concerns the role of the professional comedian in societal debate.
The value of leadership development in communicative leadership — an analysis of value creation in two companies
Recently, the three-year research project on communicative leadership at Mid Sweden University was funded by the KK Foundation, Sandvik Machining Solutions AB and AB Volvo.
Youth and organized politics - a member study of the Swedish parliamentary parties' youth associations
This project examines the political parties youth organizations' and their role as a way into politics, something that has not been studied to any great extent. In this project, we intend to reduce...