Gunnar Thesen

Gunnar Thesen is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Stavanger, affiliated with the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Department of Media and Social Studies. His research focuses on the interplay between political parties, media, and public opinion, with a particular emphasis on media influence on policy agendas and political communication. He also investigates the political impact of organized interests in areas like welfare, energy, fisheries, and transport.

Research Highlights: Thesen leads a comparative big data project examining news influence on party support across five countries. His work spans theoretical frameworks in mediatization, issue ownership, and agenda-setting, alongside applied studies on gender representation in news and policy conflicts between industries.

Recent Publications address topics such as political parallelism, media priming effects, and the electoral consequences of government communication. His methodological approach combines quantitative media analysis, comparative politics, and qualitative policy studies.