The Sound of Politics is a podcast about political communication, political rhetoric, political leadership, democracy, public opinion and the language of politics. Hosted by Professor Stephen Coleman, each episode explores how politics is communicated and how citizens can better understand it.
Episode 1 – Artificial Intelligence and Politics: Can Political Communication Stay Authentic?
What happens to political communication when artificial intelligence can generate speeches, videos and campaign messages? As AI becomes increasingly sophisticated, questions about trust and authenticity are becoming more urgent.
Professor Stephen Coleman explores how artificial intelligence is changing political language and asks whether voters will be able to distinguish between genuine political communication and synthetic content.
Joining Stephen is Professor Gunn Enli from the University of Oslo, whose research focuses on media, technology and political communication.
This episode explores artificial intelligence, political communication, misinformation, trust and democratic engagement.
Episode 2 – Political Communication Spotlight: Statesmanship – What Makes Someone Sound Like a National Leader?
What do we mean when we describe someone as statesmanlike? The term is often used to praise political leaders, but what qualities actually create the impression of statesmanship?
In this special Political Communication Spotlight episode, Professor Stephen Coleman reflects on two contrasting approaches to leadership and considers how politicians communicate authority, judgement and public service.
This episode explores political leadership, rhetoric, authority, public trust and the language of statesmanship.
Episode 3 – Keeping It Real: Why Political Rumours Feel So Convincing
Why are rumours often more persuasive than facts? In an age of social media and information overload, unverified claims can spread rapidly and influence political behaviour.
Professor Stephen Coleman explores why rumours resonate so strongly with audiences and examines the psychological and political forces that make misinformation difficult to challenge.
Joining Stephen is Professor Adam J. Berinsky from MIT, whose research focuses on public opinion, misinformation and political behaviour.
This episode explores misinformation, political psychology, public opinion and democratic communication.
Episode 4 – When Politicians and Public Officials Speak Different Languages
Do politicians and public servants understand politics in the same way? Elected politicians often focus on vision and public promises, while administrators must concentrate on delivering services and solving practical problems.
Professor Stephen Coleman explores how political leaders and public officials communicate with one another and asks whether misunderstandings between the two can affect government performance.
Joining Stephen is Ed Whiting, Chief Executive of Leeds City Council.
This episode explores public administration, political leadership, local government, communication and democratic governance.
WARNING: One use of bad language.
Episode 5 – Prime Minister’s Questions: Accountability or Political Theatre?
Does Prime Minister’s Questions help voters understand politics—or is it simply a weekly political performance? PMQs is one of the most recognisable events in British politics, attracting both praise and criticism.
Professor Stephen Coleman examines the role of Prime Minister’s Questions and asks what purpose it serves in a modern democracy. Does it improve accountability? Does it inform the public? Or is it primarily political theatre?
Joining Stephen is Labour MP Alex Sobel, who offers an insider’s view of parliamentary scrutiny.
This episode explores parliamentary politics, accountability, rhetoric and democratic engagement.
Episode 6 – Political Vibes: How Mood and Atmosphere Shape Public Opinion
What do people mean when they talk about a political mood or political vibe? Political decisions are often influenced by feelings, atmospheres and collective perceptions that can be difficult to define.
Professor Stephen Coleman explores the role of mood in politics and asks how political emotions influence campaigns, leadership and public opinion.
Joining Stephen is Dr Robert Topinka from Birkbeck, University of London, who helps unpack how cultural moods emerge and why they matter politically.
This episode explores political culture, public opinion, emotions, communication and democratic engagement.
Episode 7 – Politics and the World Cup: What Politicians can learn from Football Pundits
Why is it often easier to talk about football than politics? Supporters of rival clubs can argue passionately about tactics, managers and performances while sharing a common understanding of the game. Political debate, by contrast, can often feel inaccessible, overly technical or disconnected from everyday experience.
In this episode, Professor Stephen Coleman asks what politicians might learn from the way football is discussed. Why do football pundits, commentators and supporters find ways to analyse complex events without talking down to their audiences? What makes football conversations feel more open, engaging and accessible than many political discussions?
Joining Stephen is academic, broadcaster and football finance expert Kieran Maguire, who reflects on the language of football, the culture of sporting debate and the lessons politics might take from the way it’s debated.
The conversation also explores the relationship between sport and political power. Why are politicians so keen to attach themselves to major sporting events? When does political interest in sport become political intervention? And what can we learnt from Donald Trump’s reported involvement with a player suspension during the FIFA Club World Cup?
From football fandom and sports punditry to political communication and public engagement, this episode explores how politics might become easier to understand – and easier to talk about.
Episode 8 – Free Speech and Moral Panic: Is Freedom of Expression Under Threat?
Is free speech under threat, or are we witnessing a moral panic about free expression? Debates about censorship, cancel culture and academic freedom have become increasingly prominent in public life, but how much of the conversation is driven by evidence and how much by perception?
In this episode, Professor Stephen Coleman explores the growing debate around free speech and asks why concerns about freedom of expression have become such a powerful political issue. What do we mean when we talk about free speech? Are universities becoming less open to controversial ideas? And how should democratic societies balance freedom of expression with the need to protect people from harm?
Joining Stephen is Arif Ahmed, philosopher at the University of Cambridge and Director for Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom at the Office for Students.
Together, they examine the politics of free speech, the role of universities in fostering open debate, and why arguments about free expression continue to provoke such strong reactions.
Episode 9 – The Language of Islamophobia: How Words Shape Public Opinion
How does language shape the way we understand Islamophobia? Political debates are influenced not only by the issues being discussed, but also by the words used to describe them. Terms such as prejudice, discrimination, extremism and Islamophobia carry powerful meanings that shape public understanding and political responses.
In this episode, Professor Stephen Coleman explores the language of Islamophobia and asks how politicians, journalists and citizens discuss anti-Muslim prejudice in public life. Why do disagreements emerge over the use of the term Islamophobia? How does language influence perceptions of discrimination? And what role does communication play in shaping public debate about identity, belonging and social cohesion?
Joining Stephen is Dr Salman Al-Azami, Senior Lecturer in Language, Media and Communication at Liverpool Hope University, whose research examines media representation, Islamophobia and the ways Muslim communities are portrayed and discussed in public discourse.
Together, they explore how language can illuminate difficult issues, but also become a source of misunderstanding, disagreement and political controversy.
This episode explores political communication, media framing, Islamophobia, public opinion, political language, democracy and the relationship between language and social attitudes.
Episode 10 – The Language of Islamophobia: How Words Shape Public Opinion
How do we talk about antisemitism in political and public life? Discussions about antisemitism often involve questions of language, history, identity and political responsibility. Yet disagreements frequently arise over how antisemitism is defined, recognised and communicated.
In this episode, Professor Stephen Coleman explores the language of antisemitism and asks how politicians, journalists and citizens discuss one of society’s oldest and most enduring forms of prejudice. Why do debates about antisemitism become so politically charged? How does language affect public understanding of discrimination? And what happens when difficult conversations about prejudice become entangled with wider political arguments?
Joining Stephen is Dr Ben Gidley, Reader in Sociology and Psychosocial Studies at Birkbeck, University of London, whose research focuses on racism, migration, identity, belonging and contemporary forms of antisemitism.
Together, they examine how language can clarify, complicate and sometimes polarise discussions about antisemitism in contemporary society, while exploring the responsibilities of politicians, media organisations and citizens in fostering meaningful democratic debate.
This episode explores political communication, antisemitism, public opinion, media framing, political language, democracy and the ways language shapes public understanding of prejudice and discrimination.
Episode 11 – Free Speech on Campus: Are Universities Still Places for Open Debate?
Are universities becoming less open to controversial ideas, or has concern about free speech on campus been exaggerated? Debates about academic freedom, student protest and so-called “cancel culture” have become increasingly prominent in public life, raising important questions about what universities are for and how disagreement should be managed. In this episode, Professor Stephen Coleman explores the politics of free speech on campus and asks whether universities can remain places where difficult, unpopular and challenging ideas are openly discussed. Why have disputes about free expression become such a powerful political issue? How should universities balance freedom of speech with concerns about harm, inclusion and student wellbeing? And what happens when competing rights and values come into conflict?
Joining Stephen is the documentary maker Ric Bienstock, whose acclaimed BBC documentary Speechless examined free speech, academic freedom and cancel culture in higher education. Drawing on her research and reporting, Ric reflects on how these debates play out in practice and why they continue to generate such strong reactions. Together, they explore free speech, academic freedom, political communication, public debate, universities and the challenges of maintaining open discussion in a democratic society.
To find out more about Ric’s documentary, Speechless, then click on it’s website: https://www.speechlessfilm.com/.
Episode 12 – Local News and Democracy: Who Holds Power to Account When Reporters Disappear?
What happens to democracy when local journalists disappear? Across the UK and beyond, newsrooms have shrunk, local newspapers have closed, and fewer reporters are attending council meetings, court hearings and community events. But what does this mean for accountability, transparency and public trust?
In this episode, Professor Stephen Coleman explores the growing crisis in local journalism and asks what happens when there is nobody left to scrutinise those in power. Why does local news matter for democracy? What role do journalists play in holding councils, public bodies and local institutions to account? And what are the consequences when important decisions are made without public scrutiny?
Joining Stephen is Dr Tor Clark, journalism scholar at the University of Leicester, who worked as a political journalist from 1988-2014, and whose research examines local news, democratic participation and the changing media landscape. Together, they explore how the decline of local reporting is creating an accountability gap and consider what can be done to strengthen local journalism in the future.
This episode explores local journalism, democracy, public accountability, media trust, community reporting, local government and the crucial role of journalism in democratic life.
The Sound of Politics 