CICANT researcher James Dennis was invited to present at the Research Process Seminar Series hosted by Bournemouth University on May 20, 2025. His talk, titled “Examining the Dirt Under Your Fingernails: Exploring the Role of Ethnographic Research in Political Communication”, offered an in-depth reflection on the growing relevance of ethnographic methods in understanding today’s complex media and political landscapes.
As digital communication strategies evolve and citizens increasingly engage in political discourse within semi-public and private digital spaces, Dennis emphasized the need for qualitative approaches that can uncover the underlying motivations of communicative practices. Ten years after the influential call by Karpf, Kreiss, Nielsen, and Powers (2015) for a renewed focus on qualitative research in political communication, Dennis revisited the literature to assess the benefits and challenges of ethnographic methodologies.
Drawing on his experience across three major research projects, focused on activist groups, political parties, and news audiences, Dennis shared practical insights into the application of ethnographic tools in hybrid media systems. His presentation not only highlighted the methodological richness of ethnography but also provided a roadmap for future scholars navigating the evolving terrain of political communication.