Democracy on the Line

Leading scholars of political communication analyze the most defining and groundbreaking moments of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

With cutting-edge work on the ubiquitous presidency, a new theory of racial socialization, trailblazing theorizing on neurodiversity in political media coverage, and new conceptualizations of masculinity, this volume covers the key events and messages that defined 2024's polarizing election cycle. Chapters include analysis of some of the most significant presidential debates in the history of the United States; the replacement of Joe Biden with Kamala Harris on the Democratic presidential ticket; the memes that Harris’s surprise candidacy launched; the battle on the airwaves for message supremacy; broader discourses around threats to democracy, reproductive rights, and immigrants; and cultural conversations about race, gender, and sexuality. The book will include quantitative, qualitative, and rhetorical scholarship to provide a full picture of campaign communication that engages every corner of the field. The result is an essential collection for anyone seeking to understand modern campaign communication or anyone wishing to keep a permanent record of this historic election.