A Case Study for Political Science in Practice and Campaign Strategies

"The presidential election is a microcosm of contemporary politics. It serves as a natural laboratory for the study of political science in practice. It is also an excellent case study for examining the effects of various campaign strategies, media coverage, and voter psychology."

This assertion was made by Michael Tesler, a political scientist at the University of California, Berkeley in the United States.

I was invited to an evaluation meeting yesterday, August 11, 2023, as a mentor or lecturer. The Mini MBA in Political Marketing has just concluded its second cohort. SBM ITB, Kuncie, and LSI Denny JA are collaborating on this program.

In addition to other evaluation materials, participants in the Political Marketing Mini-MBA program evaluated the performance of mentors and lecturers in the classroom.

I was awarded a score of 9.48 (first group) and 9.67 (second batch) out of 10 on average by the participants. One of the reasons is that, in presenting the theory of political marketing, I examined current and fresh case studies.

Prabowo, Ganjar, and Anies have not yet officially launched their presidential election campaigns. To discuss the competition between Prabowo, Ganjar, and Anies, I utilized several aspects of political marketing theory. During the preparation of lecture materials, I recalled Michael Tesler's remark. The election for president is a microcosm, a miniature illustration of the operation of elite political behavior and voter psychology. Political practice is the most up-to-date resource used to formulate or correct conventional political science.

The lecture became revitalized and animated. Current social trends and occurrences were discussed. Oftentimes, conventional political science is sluggish to adapt to new circumstances.

Before preparing lecture materials, I recalled the 2020 United States Presidential Election between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

The presidential election has been documented as one of the most divisive in American history. It also became the primary topic of discussion at universities across the United States, and a frequent case study.

In certain classes, the emphasis was placed on the strategic and political factors that contributed to Biden's victory. Several individuals discussed, for example, how Biden's campaign effectively attracted suburban voters and African Americans. Or how Trump's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected his prospects of reelection.

Other classes focused on the fundamental social and cultural forces that influenced the election. For instance, a few professors discussed the role of racial, gender, and economic inequality in the election. Or how the rise of social media has affected how voters consume information.

In some classes, negative aspects of the election were the main topic of discussion. Alongside the deluge of online information, hate speech and misinformation were also prevalent.

In other classes, the emphasis was placed on the positive aspects of the election, such as the increasing participation of youth voters and the diversification of ethnic voters. Asian-American electors are beginning to emerge in the United States, joining black and Hispanic voters.

Here are a few examples of universities that used the 2020 presidential election as a case study.

1. The Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania hosted a number of 2020 election-related events. The event featured panel discussions on the role of social media in elections as well as lectures on the influence of elections on American democracy.

2. The Harvard Kennedy School hosted a conference on the upcoming election in 2020. Both Trump and Biden campaign representatives spoke at the event.

3. The Shorenstein Center for Media, Politics, and Public Policy is located at Stanford University as well. The university hosted a series of events related to the 2020 presidential election, including a debate between two political scientists on the future of American democracy.

The presidential election in the United States is a significant event with profound effects on the country's politics, economy, and culture. It is a natural case study to be analyzed and discussed in multiple courses.

I invited my LSI Denny JA classmates Eriyanto, Ari Nugraha, and Monica JR to discuss the Political Marketing Mini MBA program evaluation after reading it.

Monthly national research has been conducted by LSI Denny JA since April 2023. Suppose: every month! There will be eleven national survey results before the presidential election in February 2024.

It would be a pity if all of this information was only utilized for press conferences. Utilizing eleven national survey results over eleven months would allow for the production of numerous papers, theses, and dissertations. This investigation focuses on the competition between Prabowo, Ganjar, and Anies for the position of president. However, this research also investigates many national issues that are related.

Thus, it was agreed. Beginning in August 2023, LSI Denny JA will publish academic bulletins in both English and Indonesian.

Monthly publication of the academic bulletin. It will soon become a resource for domestic and international audiences who wish to research the Indonesian presidential election of 2024.

Elections for the presidency involve more than just practical politics. Elections for president have also become a laboratory for political science, particularly political marketing.

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