International Political Communication

The first chapter serves as an introduction to international political communication and associated terms. It dwells upon the difference of political communication in international relations and international political communication, also showing the functions and typology of the phenomenon, focusing especially on how connected international political communication is to media and how this connection further intensifies with time due to globalization processes and technological advancements of last few decades. Among the objectives attempted by the chapter is to introduce the reader to all crucial concepts of international political communication before moving in swiftly to its relation with universal codes of media in the very next chapter.

Origin Story and Self-Made Character

This chapter dwells upon a construct of origin story and self-made pastiche in universal codes of media, as seen through international political communication. The main case upon which effectiveness of the constructs are demonstrated is the case of overwhelming media presence of certain politicians, which transcends into narrative fiction. Analyzed is the phenomena of Presidents of the United States and their appearances in movies, comics, and music, which is the case for every US President ever. Supplied are results of author's own empirical research on subjects which concerns all three mediums. Additionally, dissected are the concepts of American dream, mystery men, and media presence of certain politicians showcased both retrospectively and contemporarily.

Universal Code of Movies and Influence of Traditional Media

The chapter dwells on the need of studying of universality of certain components of audiovisual media (especially movies) as a cause and possible instrument of international political communication. Emphasized is the low level of research of that very problem in the context of political studies, which ensures certain difficulties in formulating political components of the international political communication evident in case of movies. On an example of Movies in Politics by J. Rosenbaum it is shown why film criticism has a poor connection with political science. Examples of such an influence are presented in the chapter both through historical discourse and more specific cases. Proposed is the string of concept terms among which a universal code of movies – a certain informational component of audiovisual productions, understandable without its textual basis.

Political Tradition and Compatibility of Universal Codes

The chapter dissects political tradition through a cultural prism of universal values, concentrating on globalized indoctrinations of dictatorship and democracy and their input in the widespread of global populism. Additionally, it established direct link between universal values as a structural element in universal codes of media, political tradition as it exists in media and in real life and indigenous to this research universal value of death. The latter is formulated in conjunction with political meaning and previously established universal values, providing a wide meaning of death in universal codes of media in international political communication, not only as the opposite of life, but also as a representation of many other aspects of human life.

Ars Longa

The chapter dwells upon the original research on the subject of analyses of aspects of international political communication employing the prognostic function of audiovisual media. Shown is certain, lesser-studied effectiveness of creative approaches and “artistic filter” in the field of political science. The author considers the problems and stresses on advantages of the use of narrative fiction audiovisual works as additional empirical sources in the research of international political communication.

World of Uncertainty

The chapter dwells upon new media and its roots being in universal codes of media, including abiding by same basic rules as works of fiction known for having cult status, especially cult films. The use of deconstruction and reconstruction are seen and researched as two popular methods of new media which have a rich cultural tradition, explored here through the prism of universal code of media in international political communication. Additional related concern of chapter is decline of relevance of platform, which effectively derails existent hierarchy of media in recent times.

Context in International Political Communication

The third chapter encompasses a wide variety of subjects related to media awareness and audience's conscious and subconscious perception of media. Discussed are the context layers of usually neglected types of media such as advertisement, music videos, and video games and their place in universal codes of media is established through articulated cases and industry status changes with the arrival of world wide web and other globalization tendencies. Additional cases represent importance of such second-tier media in international political communication, serving as a reason to dwell on political context in specialized media in general. The chapter serves as a gateway to all following chapters, crossing over in some of the represented cases and showing the interconnection of different layers in universal codes of media in international political communication.

Brave Old World

This chapter, effectively being the conclusive one in the whole research insight, attempts a prognostic revision of all the major challenges further researches of universal codes of media might face, both ones connected to international political communication and indigenous to media platforms. Its main purpose is to streamline book's assorted factual and conceptual notions into five main challenges, that of universality, information resistance, codes, media, and absence of challenge. The chapter includes a plethora of cases which might serve as a warning, a guideline and/or additional verified facts regarding universal codes of media in international political communication, aligned with main problematic features of definition and theory in media studies paradigm.