Overview
Background
Lecturer in Strategic 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). Long trajectory as a journalist, media relations and public affairs executive in Venezuela. Main areas of interest: political communication; strategic communication; populist communication; the mediatisation of politics and society; CGI/Virtual influencers and their impact on advocacy and PR; pandemic communication.
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’’”, 23(2013), 259-278
Book
Block, E. (2015). Political Communication and Leadership Mimetisation, Hugo Chavez and the Construction of Power and Identity. New York: Routledge
Availability
- Dr Elena Block is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Masters (Coursework) of Science, University of London
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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political communication
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strategic communication
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populist communication
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The impact of CGI influencers on PR and advocacy
Works
Search Professor Elena Block’s works on UQ eSpace
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.
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.
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
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
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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
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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
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Doctor Philosophy
Re-branding Country Image Abroad: the Efficacy of Mega-events in KSA
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Aparna Hebbani, Dr Franzisca Weder
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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
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