About ICS

The Institute of Communication Studies is a leading research organization in the field of journalism and media studies, public relations and corporate communications. Our mission is to contribute towards strengthening of Macedonian democracy by working with media, civil society and public institutions, educating a critical public that will ask for greater transparency and accountability through engagement in the policy creation process.

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The Narrative Trap: Exposing Harmful Narratives used by Politicians and Media

This publication is the result of the research Determining Political Harmful Narratives (HARMTIVE) conducted by the Institute of Communication Studies (ICS) in collaboration with researchers and experts in the area of communications and media, journalists, and media professionals. Through an interdisciplinary approach, drawing on communication, psychological, political, and linguistic sciences, this longitudinal study (2023 and 2024) delves deeply into the story of the political harmful narratives within the Macedonian context, addressing the key research question: Do political harmful narratives emerge and disseminate in the public communication spaces, and if so, how? The monograph traces the paths of the harmful political narratives, exploring their creation, structuring, promotion, implementation, as well as the potential effects and consequences within the current socio-political context. It examines these narratives both during the periods of ‘regular’ political communication and ‘electoral’ political communication.