Electoral guerrilla theatre in the 2015 UK general election: critique, legitimacy and incorporation in the news coverage of celebrity election campaigns
The involvement of celebrities in politics raises issues of legitimacy and representation, and fuels concern over the impact on traditional or conventional political activity. This paper analyses the 2015 UK general election campaigns of the comedian Al Murray, who stood against UKIP leader Nigel Fa...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Abramis Academic
2016
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| Online Access: | https://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/4861/3/Collins1.pdf |
| _version_ | 1825625370796228608 |
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| author | Collins, Jeremy |
| author_facet | Collins, Jeremy |
| author_sort | Collins, Jeremy |
| collection | LMU |
| description | The involvement of celebrities in politics raises issues of legitimacy and representation, and fuels concern over the impact on traditional or conventional political activity. This paper analyses the 2015 UK general election campaigns of the comedian Al Murray, who stood against UKIP leader Nigel Farage, and the artist Bob and Roberta Smith, who stood in the constituency of Conservative minister Michael Gove. Conceptions of public representation via Nancy Fraser’s notion of subaltern counterpublics are considered, and definitions of celebrity politics are briefly explored. Each of these celebrity candidates displayed elements of theatricality in their campaign techniques, and the paper argues that while the campaigns could be seen as a form of electoral guerrilla theatre, the news coverage of the period leading up to the election suggests that neither campaign provided the kind of critical satirical edge that such a term might suggest. Consequently they were incorporated into the electoral process rather than providing any direct challenge to it. |
| first_indexed | 2024-07-09T03:58:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | oai:repository.londonmet.ac.uk:4861 |
| institution | London Metropolitan University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-07-09T03:58:20Z |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| publisher | Abramis Academic |
| record_format | eprints |
| spelling | oai:repository.londonmet.ac.uk:48612019-05-20T12:07:14Z https://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/4861/ Electoral guerrilla theatre in the 2015 UK general election: critique, legitimacy and incorporation in the news coverage of celebrity election campaigns Collins, Jeremy 300 Social sciences 320 Political science 700 The arts; fine & decorative arts The involvement of celebrities in politics raises issues of legitimacy and representation, and fuels concern over the impact on traditional or conventional political activity. This paper analyses the 2015 UK general election campaigns of the comedian Al Murray, who stood against UKIP leader Nigel Farage, and the artist Bob and Roberta Smith, who stood in the constituency of Conservative minister Michael Gove. Conceptions of public representation via Nancy Fraser’s notion of subaltern counterpublics are considered, and definitions of celebrity politics are briefly explored. Each of these celebrity candidates displayed elements of theatricality in their campaign techniques, and the paper argues that while the campaigns could be seen as a form of electoral guerrilla theatre, the news coverage of the period leading up to the election suggests that neither campaign provided the kind of critical satirical edge that such a term might suggest. Consequently they were incorporated into the electoral process rather than providing any direct challenge to it. Abramis Academic 2016 Article PeerReviewed text en https://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/4861/3/Collins1.pdf Collins, Jeremy (2016) Electoral guerrilla theatre in the 2015 UK general election: critique, legitimacy and incorporation in the news coverage of celebrity election campaigns. Ethical Space: The International Journal of Communication Ethics, 13 (1). pp. 4-12. ISSN 1742-0105 |
| spellingShingle | 300 Social sciences 320 Political science 700 The arts; fine & decorative arts Collins, Jeremy Electoral guerrilla theatre in the 2015 UK general election: critique, legitimacy and incorporation in the news coverage of celebrity election campaigns |
| title | Electoral guerrilla theatre in the 2015 UK general election: critique, legitimacy and incorporation in the news coverage of celebrity election campaigns |
| title_full | Electoral guerrilla theatre in the 2015 UK general election: critique, legitimacy and incorporation in the news coverage of celebrity election campaigns |
| title_fullStr | Electoral guerrilla theatre in the 2015 UK general election: critique, legitimacy and incorporation in the news coverage of celebrity election campaigns |
| title_full_unstemmed | Electoral guerrilla theatre in the 2015 UK general election: critique, legitimacy and incorporation in the news coverage of celebrity election campaigns |
| title_short | Electoral guerrilla theatre in the 2015 UK general election: critique, legitimacy and incorporation in the news coverage of celebrity election campaigns |
| title_sort | electoral guerrilla theatre in the 2015 uk general election critique legitimacy and incorporation in the news coverage of celebrity election campaigns |
| topic | 300 Social sciences 320 Political science 700 The arts; fine & decorative arts |
| url | https://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/4861/3/Collins1.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT collinsjeremy electoralguerrillatheatreinthe2015ukgeneralelectioncritiquelegitimacyandincorporationinthenewscoverageofcelebrityelectioncampaigns |