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Dr Elena Block
Dr

Elena Block

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 53196

Overview

Background

Lecturer in Strategic and Political Communication at The University of Queensland’s School of Communication and Arts. PhD in Political Communication from The University of Queensland, and MSc from the London School of Economic and Political Science (LSE). Elena is currently involved in two strands of research focusing on populist communication and the the rise of disruptive, uncivil, and divisive discourses that appear to be undermining political dialogue and changing modern democracy from within. Elena is also interested in the impact of virtual and human influencers on audiences vis-à-vis traditional strategic communication, government PR, and propaganda.

Long trajectory as a journalist, media relations and public affairs executive. Main areas of interest: political communication; strategic communication; populist communication; civility/incivility in today's society; the mediatisation of politics and society; CGI/Virtual/teen influencers; pandemic communication and strategic silence.

Books

Block, E. (2015). Political Communication and Leadership Mimetisation, Hugo Chavez and the Construction of Power and Identity. New York: Routledge

Block, E. (2022). Discursive Disruption, Populist Communication and Democracy: The Cases of Hugo Chávez and Donald J. Trump (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003118602

Selected articles

Block, E. and Negrine, R. (2017). The Populist Communication Style: Toward a Critical Framework. International Journal of Communication, 11(2017), 178-197

Block, E. (2013). A Culturalist Approach to the Concept of the Mediatization of Politics: The Age of ‘‘Media Hegemony’’”, Communication Theory. 23(2013), 259-278

Block, E., & Lovegrove, R. (2021). Discordant storytelling, ‘honest fakery’, identity peddling: How uncanny CGI characters are jamming public relations and influencer practices. Public Relations Inquiry, 10(3), 265-293. https://doi.org/10.1177/2046147X211026936

Le, T. L., & Block, E. (2024). When communist propaganda meets western public relations: Examining Vietnam’s government pandemic communication. Public Relations Inquiry, 13(1), 33-67. https://doi.org/10.1177/2046147X231218310

Book chapters

Block, Elena ( in press). Populist Communication Strategies in Intergroup Relations. The Sage Handbook of Intercultural Communication. Sage: 458-471

Block, Elena (2024). The Latin American political discourse. The Routledge Handbook of Political Communication in Ibero-America. London: Routledge.49-60

Block, E. (2023). “Social Responsibility” as a Weapon?. In: Weder, F., Rademacher, L., Schmidpeter, R. (eds) CSR Communication in the Media. CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18976-0_13

Availability

Dr Elena Block is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Qualifications

  • Masters (Coursework) of Science, University of London
  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland

Research interests

  • political communication

    Wrote the book Political Communication and Leadership: Mimetisation, Hugo Chávez and the Construction of Power and Identity, published by Routledge in 2015.

  • strategic communication (Topics: virtual influencers; government communication, etc).). Wrote the article

    Wrote the article, Discordant storytelling,‘honest fakery’, identity peddling: How uncanny CGI characters are jamming public relations and influencer practices, published by Public Relations Inquiry.

  • US Elections and Populist distruptive discourse

    Wrote the book Discursive disruption, Populist Communication and Democracy: The cases of Hugo Chávez and Donald J. Trump published by Routledge.

  • populist communication

    Wrote the article The Populist Communication Style: Toward a Critical Framework, published by the International Journal of Communication

  • Venezuelan elections and populist disruptive discourse

    Wrote the book Discursive disruption, Populist Communication and Democracy: The cases of Hugo Chávez and Donald J. Trump published by Routledge in 2022. Also the Book Political Communication and Leadership: Mimetisation, Hugo Chávez and the Construction of Power and Identity, published by Routledge in 2015.

  • The impact of virtual and AI influencers on PR and advocacy

    Wrote the article, Discordant storytelling,‘honest fakery’, identity peddling: How uncanny CGI characters are jamming public relations and influencer practices, published by Public Relations Inquiry.

Works

Search Professor Elena Block’s works on UQ eSpace

15 works between 2010 and 2024

1 - 15 of 15 works

2024

Book Chapter

The Latin American political discourse

Bolívar, Adriana and Block, Elena (2024). The Latin American political discourse. The Routledge Handbook of Political Communication in Ibero-America. (pp. 49-60) London: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003388937-5

The Latin American political discourse

2024

Conference Publication

A critical approach to the use, research, and teaching of social media in Chavista Venezuela: weapons for achieving justice or for hindering social and political change?

Block, Elena (2024). A critical approach to the use, research, and teaching of social media in Chavista Venezuela: weapons for achieving justice or for hindering social and political change?. ICA Post-Conference Strengthening Communications for Social Justice through Education and Research, Brisbane, Australia, 25 June 2024.

A critical approach to the use, research, and teaching of social media in Chavista Venezuela: weapons for achieving justice or for hindering social and political change?

2024

Conference Publication

The use of strategic silence in government pandemic communication

Elena Block, Le, Thu Luong, Neal, Regan and Cicero, Eloise (2024). The use of strategic silence in government pandemic communication. 74th Annual ICA Conference, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia, 20-24 June 2024.

The use of strategic silence in government pandemic communication

2024

Journal Article

When communist propaganda meets western public relations: examining Vietnam’s government pandemic communication

Le, Thu Luong and Block, Elena (2024). When communist propaganda meets western public relations: examining Vietnam’s government pandemic communication. Public Relations Inquiry, 13 (1), 33-67. doi: 10.1177/2046147x231218310

When communist propaganda meets western public relations: examining Vietnam’s government pandemic communication

2023

Book Chapter

“Social Responsibility” as a weapon? : Public service journalism as private media’s main CSR tool in Chavista Venezuela

Block, Elena (2023). “Social Responsibility” as a weapon? : Public service journalism as private media’s main CSR tool in Chavista Venezuela. CSR Communication in the media: media management on sustainability at a global level. (pp. 179-196) edited by Weder, Franzisca, Rademacher, Lars and Schmidpeter, René. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-18976-0_13

“Social Responsibility” as a weapon? : Public service journalism as private media’s main CSR tool in Chavista Venezuela

2022

Book

Discursive disruption, populist communication and democracy: the cases of Hugo Chávez and Donald J. Trump

Block, Elena (2022). Discursive disruption, populist communication and democracy: the cases of Hugo Chávez and Donald J. Trump. New York, NY, United States: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003118602

Discursive disruption, populist communication and democracy: the cases of Hugo Chávez and Donald J. Trump

2021

Conference Publication

Greta Thunberg’s mediatised and polarising moral advocacy style: potential for climate reconciliation in democracy?

Block, Elena (2021). Greta Thunberg’s mediatised and polarising moral advocacy style: potential for climate reconciliation in democracy?. 8th European Communication Conference (ECREA). Communication and trust: building safe, sustainable and promising futures., Virtual, 6-9 September 2021.

Greta Thunberg’s mediatised and polarising moral advocacy style: potential for climate reconciliation in democracy?

2021

Journal Article

Discordant storytelling, ‘honest fakery’, identity peddling: how uncanny CGI characters are jamming public relations and influencer practices

Block, Elena and Lovegrove, Rob (2021). Discordant storytelling, ‘honest fakery’, identity peddling: how uncanny CGI characters are jamming public relations and influencer practices. Public Relations Inquiry, 10 (3), 2046147X2110269-293. doi: 10.1177/2046147x211026936

Discordant storytelling, ‘honest fakery’, identity peddling: how uncanny CGI characters are jamming public relations and influencer practices

2020

Conference Publication

Customized algorithmic DGI ‘characters,’ sentiment, and trust: how brand Lil Miquela is jamming influencer relations

Block, Elena and Lovegrove, Rob (2020). Customized algorithmic DGI ‘characters,’ sentiment, and trust: how brand Lil Miquela is jamming influencer relations. 70th Annual ICA Conference, Open Communication, Virtual, 20-27 May 2020.

Customized algorithmic DGI ‘characters,’ sentiment, and trust: how brand Lil Miquela is jamming influencer relations

2018

Journal Article

Review of: Dancing Jacobins: A Venezuelan Genealogy of Latin American Populism

Block, Elena (2018). Review of: Dancing Jacobins: A Venezuelan Genealogy of Latin American Populism. Hahr-Hispanic American Historical Review, 98 (4), 711-713. doi: 10.1215/00182168-7160391

Review of: Dancing Jacobins: A Venezuelan Genealogy of Latin American Populism

2017

Conference Publication

Making sense of Trump’s communicative style in times of discursive disruption: are there lessons from Chávez’s Venezuela?

Block, Elena and Negrine, Ralph (2017). Making sense of Trump’s communicative style in times of discursive disruption: are there lessons from Chávez’s Venezuela?. ECREA Political Communication Interim Conference 2017, University of Zurich, 22-23 November 2017.

Making sense of Trump’s communicative style in times of discursive disruption: are there lessons from Chávez’s Venezuela?

2017

Journal Article

The populist communication style: toward a critical framework

Block, Elena and Negrine, Ralph (2017). The populist communication style: toward a critical framework. International Journal of Communication, 11 (1), 178-197.

The populist communication style: toward a critical framework

2015

Book

Political communication and leadership: mimetisation, Hugo Chavez and the construction of power and identity

Block, Elena (2015). Political communication and leadership: mimetisation, Hugo Chavez and the construction of power and identity. Abingdon, Oxon, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781315694436

Political communication and leadership: mimetisation, Hugo Chavez and the construction of power and identity

2013

Journal Article

A culturalist approach to the concept of the mediatization of politics: the age of "media hegemony"

Block, Elena (2013). A culturalist approach to the concept of the mediatization of politics: the age of "media hegemony". Communication Theory, 23 (3), 259-278. doi: 10.1111/comt.12016

A culturalist approach to the concept of the mediatization of politics: the age of "media hegemony"

2010

Journal Article

Populismo, libertad de expresion y cuidadania [Populism, freedom of expression and citizenship]

Block, Elena (2010). Populismo, libertad de expresion y cuidadania [Populism, freedom of expression and citizenship]. Comunicación: estudios venezolanos de comunicación, 35 (149), 64-72.

Populismo, libertad de expresion y cuidadania [Populism, freedom of expression and citizenship]

Supervision

Availability

Dr Elena Block is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Use of Digital Media by Omani SMBs to Improve Business and Relationship with their Customers: Challenges and Opportunities

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Lemi Baruh

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Re-branding Country Image Abroad: the Efficacy of Mega-events in KSA

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Aparna Hebbani, Dr Franzisca Weder

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The science of rhetoric as a means to effectively communicate climate change information and refute climate disinformation

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Aparna Hebbani, Dr Franzisca Weder

Media

Enquiries

Contact Dr Elena Block directly for media enquiries about:

  • Pandemic Communication
  • Political Communication
  • Populism
  • Populist Communication
  • Public Relations
  • Strategic Communication
  • Venezuela
  • Virtual influencers

Need help?

For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au