معرفی
Orla Vigsö is Professor of Media and Communication Studies at the Department of Journalism, Media and Communication (JMG) at the University of Gothenburg, where she has been employed since March 2013. She holds academic positions including Professor of Rhetoric (2011) and Professor of Media and Communication Studies (2015). Her academic journey spans multiple Scandinavian institutions including Aarhus University, Uppsala University, Roskilde University, and Södertörn University.
- M.A. & M.Sc. from Aarhus University (1990) in political science and Nordic languages
- Lic.fil. in Nordic languages from Uppsala University (2002)
- Ph.D. from Uppsala University (2004) on election rhetoric
Professor Vigsö's research focuses on two main interconnected areas: political communication and crisis communication, both situated within strategic communication. Her work on political communication examines election posters and party-political communication through French political sociology (particularly Bourdieu's concept of politics as a market) and marketing theory. In crisis communication, she analyzes authorities' communication during societal crises and confidence crises, with case studies including nuclear power, the Swedish Migration Board, and swine flu. Her ongoing projects include a book on 100 years of Swedish election posters and a study of satirical cartoons in Swedish newspapers from 1890 to present.
Her extensive publication record from 2017-2025 demonstrates consistent contributions to journals like Hermès, Journal of Visual Political Communication, and Discourse & Society. The publications reveal strong thematic continuity in political rhetoric, visual communication analysis, and crisis management, with increasing focus on Nordic comparative perspectives and European contexts. Recent works show particular attention to pandemic communication, Arctic politics, and digital platform expansion into northern regions.
- Editorial work for Journal of Visual Political Communication
- Multiple contributions to Hermès journal on Nordic political communication
- Handbook contributions on crisis and risk communication
- Analysis of political satire and cartoon history
At JMG, Professor Vigsö teaches the course Perspectives on Media and Communication and supervises student essays across various specializations. Her teaching expertise spans 25 years across multiple institutions, covering language, communication, rhetoric, scientific theory, qualitative methods, hermeneutics, semiotics, and presentation skills at all academic levels. She has also contributed to public education and adult education through various roles at the Nordic Academy of Public Relations.
Professor Vigsö maintains active research collaborations, particularly with Bengt Johansson, and has secured funding from sources like the Ridderstad Foundation for Historical Graphic Research. Her work bridges theoretical frameworks from rhetoric, political sociology, and marketing to analyze contemporary communication phenomena in both political and crisis contexts.
